The Incredible Existence of Lottie Gilbert
by anothercarly
Summary: When you're the twin sister to the Petrova Doppelgänger, danger, lust, romance, and revenge are nothing more than occupational hazards. So meet Charlotte Gilbert, who's just been strapped in for a ride she'll never forget. Romance will be involved, but is not yet decided with whom. Starts at Masquerade.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello! This is the first chapter of this story! Here's a playlist- I know people are really into these._

_Hey Brother-Avicci (For the beginning to the ball)_

_Ships in the Night- Matt Kearney (From the Ball to the Kidnapping)_

_Keep Breathing - Ingrid Michaelson (From when Lottie wakes up til Elijah Compels Lottie the first time)_

_You'll Be Okay - A Great Big World_

_Holland Road - Mumford and Sons_

"Charlotte, are you with me?"

"Yes, m'am. Can I help you?" Charlotte snapped back into reality, snappy comment full force. A bit of the normall nonexistent southern twang slipped out of the mouth the the Virginia girl.

Charlotte's fraternal twin rolled her eyes, flipping her hair back. "Masquerade ball. Are you going?"

"Obviously," Charlotte replied, leaning back in her seat and kicking up her feet. "I'm spending the night at Mara's tonight. She's driving me."

"What are you wearing?"

"A mask," Charlotte smirked. She watched the brunette across from her sigh in annoyance. "Um. I got this dress with Mara. Long, black. Lacy. The mask's the real winner. Think Mardis Gras, but less tacky. Are you being escorted by Stefan?"

"No, we're on a break," Elena sighed.

"Because of Damon?"

"What? Why would you-"

"Elena, I'm not as _idiotic _as you believe me to be. Don't look all offended at the thought that you and Damon have something. Christ, it would take a moron to not realize. Have you ever seen the way he looks at you? And you look at him? Boy, it sure is-"

"Charlotte. You wouldn't get it. It isn't like that," She spoke flatly.

"Sure," Charlotte replied, shrugging apathetically. "Whatever. Your love life, or new found lack there of, is none of my damn business. That's for sure."

They might be twins, but Charlotte and Elena lived very separate lives.

In fact, the two were hardly twins at all. Charlotte's hair was much lighter, looking much more like he Aunt Jenna than she did to Elena. And on the plane of personality, the two could not differ more. Elena much more resembled their mother: kind, compassionate, prepared to be a social butterfly in any situation, or engage in small talk just to engage another socially. Charlotte, however, was much more like their father, Greyson. Brilliant. Ambitious. Impatient, with all of the vices that come with brilliance. Charlotte had felt the pressure, now that her parents were gone, to become her father, but she had no desire. Medecine was not her field of choice, as demonstrated by her failed Anatomy class.

"Anyway, we should head out. We're supposed to be at the Lockwood's. . .now. Let's go before we have to face Carol's wrath." She rolled her eyes.

"I'll drive."

* * *

"Look Elena, I was out of line before. It was insensitive and presumptuous and rude."

"Yeah, it's whatever," she told her. "Really, Lottie. It's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"So what actually did happen, if you don't mind my asking."

"It's complicated," She sighed. "He's got a lot of baggage."

"Well, so do you," Charlotte offered, shrugging her shoulders.

"It's just not allowing us to mature as a couple. It's just so heavy it put our entire relationship at a standstill."

"Well, that blows." Charlotte was never the best with sympathy or empathy. "Are you two at least on good terms?"

"We're trying, sort of."

"Yeah. I get it. Mara's brother told me once that guys absolutely loathe the idea of remaining friendly, since it never works. But I don't know: maybe this time off will give him the time to mature and work through his past."

"Yeah." Elena released a sigh as she turned into the Lockwood's drive. "Me too."

* * *

Charlotte struggled to lift the large box to begin with. How she thought she could manage to carry it throughout the entire mansion to its destination was a mystery. About halfway down on of the long corridors, the heavy box slipped from her small hands, only to fall into the life saving hands of a mundane hero.

"Watch it there, Charlotte. You would not want these to break." He offered he a solemn smile.

"Stefan Salvatore, you are a life saver." Charlotte's hand went to her heart as Stefan picked up the box.

"Where's this going? Maybe it would be better if I delivered it."

"Yeah, it's going to the dining hall. Those are the table centerpieces. I'll, uh, walk with you. Mrs. Lockwood wants me to set them up."

"Sure."

The two walked in silence amidst the awkwardness of 'oh, I just talked about you with my sister with whom you are taking a break.' When the two finally reached the dining hall, the awkwardness only multiplied when Jenna walked into the room.

"Stefan! Hey!"

"Sure, don't say hi to your favorite niece." Charlotte mumbled, mostly sarcastically. Jenna just rolled her eyes.

"Hi, Jenna," He replied as Charlotte began to set up the center pieces.

"I'm making dinner tonight. Ric's gonna be there. You should come."

"Jenna," Charlotte interrupted, "He and Elena aren't-"

"Elena and I are taking a break."

"Really?"

"Yeah,"

"Because that's not what it sound like this morning."

Stefan tried to muster a look of confusion.

"I'm a light sleeper. You know what? Forget I said anything," she ordered as she stepped out of the room.

"This is awkward," Charlotte expressed.

"It's not what-it's not a big deal. We just needed-"

"Stefan, it's none of my business. Just don't hurt my little sister, okay?"

"Never."

* * *

Swish. Sway. Dip.

Collin was an excellent dancer.

Mara's elder brother of a single year had graciously taken Charlotte as a dance partner after Mara had been asked to dance by Chase Fell.

"You are a very good dancer, Mr. Harper."

"And you are an exceptional partner, Miss Gilbert."

"I'm swooning," Charlotte replied sarcastically. In response, Collin dipped her, earning a shriek of surprise and a smile from Lottie.

"Not the first time a lady has told me that."

"Watch it, Harper." Lottie gave him a pointed glare, then began to glance around the illuminated garden. She was glowing until she saw something incredibly shocking and confusing.

There stood, in the grass, her two younger siblings. If that wasn't strange enough, Elena was in jeans and a tee, sitting on the ground with a pained look on her face. Jeremy was hunched over her.

"Collin, I need to take care of something." She picked up her dress and marched over to the two.

"Elena. Jeremy. What's up?"

"Charlotte, it's fine...go back." She let out a pained moan.

"Elena, honey. What's wrong? Talk to me. What happened?" Charlotte bent over to rub her back, but instead found it sticky with blood. "Elena, what happened?" Charlotte wiped the blood on her dress and gripped Elena's hand. "Jeremy?"

"Charlotte, Bonnie is taking care of it. Please go find her." Jeremy begged.

"Okay. Okay. Take off your jacket, and put pressure on her to stop the bleeding, but not too much. I'll go find someone, okay?"

Little did Lottie know that Bonnie had already done all she could do, taking away most of the pain, and that Charlotte's siblings had sent her on a chase for nothing. Jeremy only needed a distraction in order to keep his eldest sibling in the dark of which he was deprived.

Scurrying through the crows, Lottie looked left and right for her sister's best friend, Bonnie Bennet. But, after a significant amount of time searching and finding nothing, she settled for Damon, who was the first face she could trust.

"Damon, Damon!" Lottie called, almost tripping on her way over to him.

"Lottie, I'm a little busy-"

"Damon, it's Elena. It's Elena. She's hurt."

This Damon new, but in the time that Jeremy sent her away and her finding Damon, Katherine's little witch had stopped Elena's injury, and most of the conflict. Now Damon was just waiting for the coast to be clear so he could take care of Katherine.

Damon looked over at Charlotte, grabbing her shoulder and staring her in the eyes. "No, she isn't. She never was. All you know was that Elena was upset about Stefan."

"Elena's upset about Stefan?"

"Well, you know how my brother can be. . ."

"I should talk to her. I knew this would happen. Do you know where she is?"

"I just saw her leaving."

Lottie thanked him and waltzed away, walking as rapidly as possible. She looked through all the parked cars, shouting for Elena, hoping she could still catch her.

Then she saw what was happening to Elena, a man in a mask drugging Elena and putting her into the trunk of his Sudan. Her adrenaline picked up and allowed her to move incredibly fast, shouting at him. She even put up quite a fight, until she fell into the darkness of a cloth to her mouth and nose.

* * *

Charlotte is still comatose as she's carried into the run down house by a woman, walking behind the man carrying Elena, who is waking up. The man puts the awake Elena on the couch and unties her ropes.

"What do you want?" Elena asked.

"Shh."

"Please, I'm hurt."

"I know. Just a taste." His eyes change as he gets closer to Elena.

"Trevor!" Elena heard a woman's voice. "Control yourself!" She walked over to the couch and set Charlotte down gently.

"What about the other one?" He asked.

"She's an added bonus. Not for you. Don't touch her."

"Buzz kill." Trevor left the room, leaving just Elena, Rose, and the unconscious Charlotte.

"Oh my God." Elena gasped. "Oh my God. Charlotte. Lottie? What do you want with us?"

"Oh my God, you look just like her," Rose replied, astounded.

"But I'm not. Please, whatever, you-"

"Be quiet," She commanded.

"But I'm not Katherine. My name is Elena Gilbert; you don't have to do this."

"I know who you are, and I said be quiet." She was growing more irritated.

"What do you want?"

Rose slapped her hard, causing her to pass out.

"I want you to be quiet."

* * *

Charlotte's head was pounding. She opened her foggy eyes to see a plain white ceiling. She sat up, looking around the room. The windows were boarded, the walls dilapidated. Next to her, Elena slouched on the couch, obviously unconscious.

Charlotte gently nudges Elena's shoulder. "Elena." She whispered, coming to revelation with the reality of what happend. "Elena!"

Elena's eyes gently open as she sits up.

"Lottie, please stay here. I'll be right back."

"I'm not letting you go anywhere alone."

"Please." Elena asked.

"Go." Lottie lied. Elena walked up the stairs Shortly, Lottie followed her.

Elena was leaning against a door frame when Lottie arrived. Elena mouthed something to Charlotte, but she only shrugged in response.

"So that's it, Trevor. He either got it or he didn't. We just have to wait," A woman said.

"Look, it's not too late. We can leave here. We don't have to go through with this," The man talking was terrified.

"I'm sick of running!"

"Yeah? Well, running keeps us from dying!"

"Elijah's old school. If he accepts our deal, we're free."

Elena shuffles a bit, making a floorboard screech. Charlotte's heart skipped a beat as Rose whipped around to see the two girls eavesdropping.

"You two! There's nothing around here for miles. If either of you think you're getting out of this house, you're tragically wrong. Understand?" She threatened.

"Who's Elijah?" Charlotte and Elena asked simultaneously.

"Your worst nightmare."

* * *

Charlotte, refusing to just leave Elena alone, follows her into a room containing the woman, Rose."

"Why are we here?"

"You keep asking questions as if I'm going to answer them."

"Why won't you?"

"There's another one."

"What about Charlotte? She has nothing to do with any of this. Just let her go." Elena told Rose.

"Elena." Charlotte stepped in front of Elena. "I am not just going to leave you here." She gave her a stern look.

"You're right, you're not." Rose replied. "Listen, I don't want anything with either of you. I'm just a delivery service."

"To Elijah?" Charlotte suggested, still standing protectively in front of Elena.

"Is he, a, you know-" Elena suggests.

"A Vampire? Yes. One of the originals." Rose answered.

"Vampires?" Charlotte asked, "Is that a gang? Or a cult?"

Rose's eyes widened. "You really don't know anything, do you?"

"Charlotte, don't listen to her." Elena said, sounding desperate.

Rose smiled as Charlotte began to get dizzy. "Well, Charlotte," Rose rushed her, pinning her to a wall, revealing herself. "As you can see, Vampires are very real. And we are _very _frightening."

Charlotte's vision began to blur as her heart beat rose. As Rose walked away, she found it hard to stand.

"Was that necessary?" Elena asked, rushing over to Charlotte. "Charlotte, are you okay? You're fine: alright?"

"You knew? You've known about vampires? They're real?"

"Charlotte, sit down."

"No. I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Charlotte, you can go sit down. It's fine."

"No. No. I don't want to be alone. I mean- I don't want you to be alone." Charlotte stuttered as she took the deepest breathe she could, looking over to Rose. "Are you going to hurt me?"

"Not if you behave." She replied, rolling her eyes.

"And Elena?"

"_I _won't be doing anything with Elena." Charlotte nodded, oblivious to the emphasis she put on 'I'. She took another breathe and regained her posture.

"Okay. I'm okay, Elena." Charlotte assured her. She then put on a face of fake confidence, adjusting her body position to a more open posture, knowing from the Ted Talk she watched last year that this would make her feel confident, something she desperately needed. "So what are the Originals?"

"Trevor and I have been running for 500 years. We're tired, we want it over. We're using you to negotiate ourselves out of an old mess." Rose told her as if it had been obvious, but there was an air of fear in her eyes.

"But why me?" Elena could be a journalist, Charlotte thought. "And why my sister? What does she have to do with this?"

"She doesn't. She was in the way and our idiotic human helper decided to bring her along. Now she's whatever Elijah wants her to be. He might want to feed from her, use her for bargaining, or let her go. It could be anything." Rose shrugged. "You, on the other hand. You're a Petrova Doppelgänger. You're the key to breaking the curse."

Lottie was tempted to ask questions, but she figured that it wouldn't do her any good. Whatever the details were, they didn't matter.

"The curse? The sun and the moon curse?"

"Oh, you do know your history."

There conversation continued, Charlotte listening intently, saying nothing, until there was one realization she couldn't ignore.

"You're the Doppelgänger. Which means, in order to break the curse you're the one who has to die."

"Elena isn't dying." Charlotte proclaimed. It came out of her mouth before she even had the chance to assess the words. It was loud, clear, strong, and full of authority.

Rose looked over to her. "If you think you can stop the most powerful vampires in all of history, be my guest. But I wouldn't recommend it. Trevor and I did that once."

"Tell me more." Elena demanded.

Then Trevor walked in and casually, in the most intimidating way, put his arm around Charlotte. As he was doing so, he mocked, "Captivity has made her pushy, eh? What do you want to know doppelicious?"

"Who were you running from?" Charlotte asked.

Trevor looked over at her and removed his arm, walking across the room.

"The originals."

"Yeah, we get that. A definition would be useful." Apparently, in dire situations, Charlotte became a snippy little shit.

"The first family, the old world. Rose and I pissed them off." Trevor explained.

Rose looked at him, "Mm-hmm."

"Correction, I pissed them off, Rose had my back and for over half a millennium; they wanted us dead." He corrected.

"How?" Charlotte asked.

"He made the same mistake countless others did: he trusted Katerina Petrova."

"Katherine." Elena replied, seething.

"Elena, Katherine is Stefan's ex, right?" Charlotte asked. "She's a vampire?"

"Yeah. The one and only Katerina, the first Petrova Doppelgänger."

"Which means she looks exactly like you." Charlotte tried to connect the dots.

"She catches on faster than most."

"Have I met her?"

"Maybe, but that doesn't really matter. What happened?" Elena dodged the question back to the point.

"I helped her escape her fate and now I've-sorry," He looked over to Rose, "We've been marked ever since."

"Which is why we're not gonna make the same mistake again." Rose proclaimed.

* * *

"Rose, could I at least use the bathroom? It's not like I'm going anywhere." Charlotte asked.

Rose sighed in frustration. "Fine. I'll take you. Just don't try anything idiotic, or else."

"Literally all I need is the rest room." Charlotte promised. She wasn't lying, or being manipulative, either."

When Lottie, well, finished, she exited the room and Rose walked her back downstairs to find Trevor in a panic with Elena full of confusion.

"He's here."

And in that moment Lottie snapped out of her dream like, shocked state, and into one of panic and fear. This was the most dangerous of a creature she didn't know existed. If she was terrified of Rose, of Trevor, then what of this Elijah? And not only was Charlotte terrified for herself, but for Elena as well. Chances were Charlotte's death would be quick, painless. But Elena, she couldn't die. But Charlotte could even face the fact that her death was inevitable, in this hopeless stupor, and Elena's death would not be painless. It would not be quick. And Jeremy, oh God. Jeremy couldn't be left without two sisters. And Jenna, she was responsible. Elena needed to return.

And then there was a knock on the door.

"You're scared." Elena accused.

"Hush, Elena." Charlotte scolded.

Rose looked to Trevor. "Stay here with them and don't make a sound."

A few moments pass with Trevor pacing. Charlotte marches to Elena and put her arms on her shoulders. "I will not let you go down without a fight, Elena Gilbert." She mouthed. Elena understood perfectly, but she refused to accept it.

They all began to here voices approaching and Charlotte's heart sped up. It was time for you to be brave, Charlotte. The worst that will happen to you is that you die in the name of protecting your younger sister. And that isn't a bad way to go. In fact, that is the best way to go.

Charlotte felt peace as she made her vow to protect Elena, her family, and to face no fear. Although, there wasn't much she could do about the latter.

Charlotte stands closer to Elena, who turns her head as the pair entered. Charlotte squeezed Elena's hand and pursed her own lips. The man, Elijah, rushed towards Elena, ignoring Charlotte, and smelled her neck. Charlotte's grip tightened on Elena's hand.

"Human. It's impossible. Hello there." He then glanced over to Charlotte. "And whoever could you be?"

"Charlotte Gilbert." She mumbled with the greatest force she could muster. "I'm-I'm Elena's sister."

"How peculiar," He replied. "And what is she doing here?" He asked Rose and Trevor.

"She got in the way. Now she's whatever you want her to be."

Elijah rolled his eyes. "What she is is a waste of time."

Her heart rate increased in fear.

"Oh, don't be so scared. I'm not going to kill you. If you behave." He threatened. That had been the second time she was threatened that way, and she now had the most important decision to make. Life or death.

"I-I'm afraid-" She stuttered, "That you'll have to kill me then. Because I refuse to stand by and let my sister be taken for slaughter." She stepped slightly in front of Elena, sheltering her.

"Lottie, please. Please stop." Elena begged.

Lottie ignored Elena, only giving her hand a quick squeeze before letting go, putting her arms on her hips. "From what I've heard, around here, you're an original," She mustered, "As defined, of the first _family._ Which leads me to believe you must have siblings, and therefore understand the vow of extreme loyalty, _forever. _So I will _always_ protect Elena, and my family, Forever. And if I must be killed for such a thing, then I accept it as the very best way to die." Her once broken speak transformed into the most eloquent declaration of loyalty.

Elijah smiled. "And however do you expect to defend your sister? You both are nothing but human, and as you have learned I am the most dangerous creature you could ever meet." His head tilted as he challenged her.

"Charlotte."

"There's nothing I can do." Charlotte stated, and then it became a realization. "There isn't a thing I can do to prevent you from killing my sister." Her once strong voice was now quiet, full of premature mourning.

Elijah nodded. "Charlotte Gilbert, I truly admire your loyalty, which is why I will spare you. But your sister is needed." He approached Charlotte and looked her directly in the eyes, his pupils growing larger. "So I need you to do exactly as I say."

Charlotte nodded.

"Now, say goodbye to Elena and stand over there. And don't move from that spot until I allow it."

Charlotte, tears rolling down her eyes, had no choice but to turn around and grace her sister with one last goodbye.

"Take care of Jeremy, Charlotte. Please."

Charlotte stood in her place, unmoving.

"We have a long journey head of us. We should be going."

Elena looked at Rose desperately. "Please, don't let him take me."

"One last piece of business and we're done," Elijah stalked toward Trevor.

"I've waited so long for this day, Elijah. I'm truly, very sorry."

"Oh no, your apology's not necessary."

Charlotte did not feel good about what was to come. Why would he call it his 'last piece of business' if the outcome were not horrid?

"Yes, yes it is. You trusted me with Katerina and I failed you."

"Oh yes, you are the guilty one," he agreed, "and Rose aided you because she was loyal to you. Now, that, I honor. Hell, even a mere human maintained loyalty," he laughed darkly, "Where was your loyalty?"

"Please. Please, I beg your forgiveness."

"So granted." Elijah agreed. Trevor smiled, but his life in freedom was cut short by the swinging of Elijah's hand, wiping Trevor's head clear off of his body.

Rose cried out a harsh "you!" at Elijah, to which he only returned a warning. Elena was full of shock. And Charlotte full of fear.

"No. You can't take her. You can't take her." She was flooded with tears. "She has a family. She-we have this little brother. And he's already-he can't lose someone else. He just lost his parents. And I-I don't want to lose her. Please. Please don't take her."

Elijah let a small piece of pure sympathy show. But not for long. "Stop crying." He commanded. He looked to Elena. "Come."

"No, what about the moonstone?" Elena blurted in a last attempt for her life.

He stopped, turning to her harshly. "What do you know about the moonstone?"

"I know that you need it and I know where it is," She offered.

"Yes. . .?"

"I can help you get it."

"Tell me where it is."

"It doesn't work that way," She declared.

"You two sure are the bargaining bunch, aren't you? Are you negotiating, with me?" He looked to Rose for answers.

"It's the first I've heard of it."

After a few more moments of negotiations, and Elena finally teling Elijah the location of the moonstone, true chaos begins, almost at the most convenient timing. It started with the shattering of glass, coming from upstairs.

Few words are exchanged before Elena disappears in a flash, Charlotte still unable to move.

Chaos continues until Elijah unleashes his most powerful threat. He twirled the stake, which earlier had been thrown at, as well as caught by, Elijah.

"Excuse me. To whom it may concern, you're making a great mistake if you think that you can beat me. You can't! Do you hear that?" He called. He sauntered over to Charlotte. "I'm sorry that I must do this, but whoever your friend are have left me without choice," he warned. "Mysterious attackers! It seems as though you've left me with nothing but a little bit of leverage. Dear Charlotte here is following my every beck and command. Charlotte, I want you to take this stake, so graciously offered my your friends, and plunge it as deep into your stomach as your force will allow. Don't you worry about your productivity level, I assure that I'll assist you along the way in due time." Charlotte then began, without choice, to plunge the stake into her stomach. She was in extreme agony, so much she didn't realize Elijah going and breaking a coat hanger in half. "I repeat, you cannot beat me. So I want the girl, I'm gonna count to 3 or heads will roll. Do we understand each other?"

Elena then appeared at the top of the stairs. "I'll come with you, just please stop hurting my sister. Please. And please don't my friends; they just wanted to help me out."

"Elena, don't!" Charlotte called weakly. "Stop. . ."

Elijah flashed up the stairs, only a mere inch away from Elena, coat rack still in hand. "What game are you playing with me?"

Then, in a matter of mere seconds, something exploded in Elijah's face, burning him profusely, but it healed within seconds.

"Harder, Charlotte!" He called as Stefan launched something, which did little damage. Stefan then rushed towards him, knocking them both down the stairs.

"Someone help Charlotte!" Elena called, yet nothing arrived.

"A bit more, Charlotte." Elijah commanded as he stood up. As he approached Stefan, Damon came and shoved the coat rack into his heart, pinning him against the shabby walls. Then Stefan immediately rushed over to Charlotte, who was still putting the stake into her. She was losing blood fast, and consciousness was soon to follow.

Rose saw this all happen and tried to flee, and Damon began to go after her. But then Elena yelled at him, telling him to help Charlotte instead. Then she swiftly sprinted down the steps.

"Charlotte, Charlotte, listen to me." Stefan coaxed, rubbing her back. "You don't need to keep doing that. He's dead."

"Why is she still doing it?" Elena asked. "If he's dead, the compulsion is gone."

"I can't stop." Charlotte said. "I can't-please help me. I can't stop."

Damon rushes over to her. "He's a big deal. The compulsion must not have worn off yet."

"He's an Original, does that mean it'll take longer?" Elena asked.

"Maybe." Stefan said.

"Charlotte, please stop." Elena begged.

"Charlotte, I will break your hands if I have to!" Damon threatened.

"Just do it!" Charlotte cried.

Damon looked to stefan and nodded. In a flash, Stefan pinned Charlotte's arms behind her, and Damon gently pulled the stake from her stomach. "Look, he said to put this stake into your stomach. Now this stake is gone." Charlotte nodded, but continued to hyperventilate. "I can't move. I-I can't move."

"I've got her." Damon sighed and scooped her up. "I'll heal her in the car. Let's go. Lottie, don't fall asleep on me yet."

Damon carried Lottie to the car as Stefan and Elena followed behind them. "Thank you, Stefan. For saving me. And Lottie."

"Are _you _hurt, Elena?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm just sorry it had to be her."

"Come on, lovebirds! We've got a long way home!" Damon called as he got into the backseat with Lottie.

"We better go."

The couple got into the front seats of the car. "You better not wreck my car, Stefan! I'm doing this for Lottie."

"Oh, Damon. You do care." She whimpered sarcastically.

"Okay, Charlotte. I need you to do something really, really weird, alright?"

"That's not the first time a boy's told me that." She smiled through the pain.

Damon went and bit his wrist. "I'm a vampire. You need to drink my blood so that it can heal you before you die, forever."

"Wha-" Damon cut her off by shoving the blood into her mouth, then looking her directly in the eyes. "Now, go to sleep."

* * *

Bonnie was sleeping on Jeremy's bed after the spell she had preformed to find Elena and Lottie. Jeremy was watching her.

And the door opened, waking Bonnie up.

Both teenagers rushed down the stairs. "Elena!" The called joyously, until they saw Charlotte in Damon's arms.

"Oh my Gosh, Charlotte." Bonnie stated as Jeremy walked over to Damon. "Here, I've got her. What happened?" He accused.

"Easy, boy wonder. She, Stefan, and I need to have a little chat. I'll take her upstairs."

"I'm coming too." Elena stated, more than asked.

"Well then I-" Jeremy began to say, but Elena stopped him.

"I've got this Jer."

Damon carried Charlotte up the stairs and placed her in her bed. "Time to wake up, Charlotte," he declared, starting to wake her up. She stirred awake and sat up in her bed, hyperventilating. "What-what happened. I was dying!"

"Easy, there." Damon told her, crossing his arms. "You all right, sport? We have a long talk to have."

"That-was that a dream? It couldn't have been, it was- Oh my Gosh, that means you're vampires, too. It only makes sense-" She rambled.

"Get it all out."

"But you saved Elena. And me. You-you healed me. I don't know how that makes sense but-you're not like Rose or Trevor or Elijah. You're _good _aren't you?"

"Yes, Charlotte. They're good. And they won't hurt you or me or anyone." Elena assured her.

"Well, I don't know if _good _is the word-"

"Damon!" Stefan interrupted.

"So what now?"

"Now we take your memories." Damon shrugged.

"No!" Charlotte insisted. "Please. Don't. I don't want to forget."

"Why wouldn't you? You were kidnapped and forced to stab yourself with a wooden _stake. _Why wouldn't you want to go back to your life of happiness and rainbows?" Damon persuaded.

"Because it wouldn't be real. Because my sister would still be fighting for her life- this can't be an isolated incident if she's the doppelgänger or whatever. My sister would still be in trouble. She'd be living in the real world. That's selfish of me. I don't want to forget."

Silence.

"I don't think that there's a reason she needs to forget." Stefan insisted. "She's handling it better than anyone we've ever told."

"I'm exhausted, I'll probably be handling it worse tomorrow morning." Charlotte joked.

"I don't want her to have to remember that." Elena said.

"You shouldn't be able to decide what I should and shouldn't remember. Plus, why would I want to forget how much of a badass I actually am?" Charlotte laughed. "Please. Please don't make me forget."

The three looked at each other. "Okay. For now." Damon said. "But if you get annoying or stupid, I'm taking your memories myself."

Charlotte smiled, then turned to Stefan. "Stefan, I expect you give me a crash course tomorrow."

"I think I can do that." He agreed.

"Perfect. Now get out of my room."


	2. Chapter 2

_Haim-The Wire (Cut off when Elijah arrives)_

_Lord Huron-Ends of the Earth_

_Regina Spektor-Patron Saint_

_OneRepublic-What You Wanted, Acoustic_

_Imagine Dragons-My Fault_

Days had passed since the fatal "adventure" Lottie had taken with Elena, and they sure were eventful. For starters, Charlotte got "the talk" from Stefan, learning all of the mythical glory of her life. And she earned the biggest bombshell: Elena wasn't actually Charlotte's twin sister. Elena was adopted, the illegitimate child of-get this- John Gilbert, everyone's _favorite_ uncle. Apparently Johnny Boy Wonder knocked up some chick at the same time Charlotte was conceived. ("The Gilbert Frisky Season," Damon added kindly.) So Charlotte was born and two days later John's baby mama popped out Elena, handing her over to Miranda and Greyson to forge hospital record and claim Elena as their daughter and Lottie's twin sister. Charlotte added that it actually made more sense than Elena being Charlotte's sister.

In other news, Charlotte realized how crappy Elena was at making decisions. Elena decided to go visit Katherine, where she was informed of the big bad Klaus, Elijah's brother. So she decided to go on a field trip with Rose to play sacrificial lamb and almost got herself killed before Damon showed up. And they all almost died and were saved by none other than _Elijah._ Crazy, right?

And Elena wasn't the only stupid sibling. Even Jeremy decided to go on a pilgrimage to get the moonstone from Katherine, but she had only trapped him in the tomb with her, threatening his life. So then Stefan had to save his bum, getting trapped with Katherine himself.

As much as Lottie wanted to meet Katherine, she was definitely not about to go to that tomb. No, too many Gilberts had made mistakes down there.

Oh, and her history teacher Alaric, and Jenna's romantic entanglement, was a vampire hunter. Caroline was a vampire. Bonnie was a witch, and Tyler was a werewolf. And Jeremy had known for ages. At least Jenna was normal (and ignorant; she wouldn't be able to handle it).

But that wasn't all; Charlotte was an exceptional negotiator and incredibly manipulative, scoring herself a stock of the magical herb: vervain. Burns a vampire to the touch, and it prevents them from compelling you. Stefan tried to pass a piece of jewelry onto her, but she denied it, remembering how Elijah yanked off Elena's and was able to control her. No, she ended up with a nice supply of the herb itself, and she even found herself in the possession of a plant (Charlotte was an exceptional gardener, mind you).

Things were, for lack of a better word, pretty _normal _for Charlotte. The whole vampire thing didn't really affect her personally. She was just an observer, a Nick Caraway to Elena's Gatsby, an Elizabeth Bennet to Elena's Jane (which means that Charlotte would soon end up with Mr. Darcy. She'll take it!), so this all didn't change her performance in school or her social life. Sure, she was hanging out with Elena's friends a bit more, but they had all been relatively close before. Mara was still her best friend, Collin her white buffalo, and Stefan her wing man.

Anyway, Charlotte was in the kitchen, studying for the Statistics test she had the following say, when the doorbell rang. Jenna claimed it as her own while Charlotte calculated the increase in profit when a company merged with another.

Jenna strolled back into the kitchen with her new guest. "Charlotte," Jenna declared, "This is Elijah. He's writing a book on Mystic Falls, and Mrs. Lockwood sent him our way. Do you think you could take him to our stuff?"

When Charlotte actually saw who was standing before her, she did slightly jump. "Oh, yeah. Sure. It's right, um, upstairs. You can follow me."

Charlotte walked up the stairs, Elijah following behind her. "So are you here to kill Elena? Or are you here to finish the job with me, or could you possibly be threatening someone else?"

"You have quite the attitude for someone at my mercy. But believe it or not, I have already saved Elena's life, and I am only here to have a chat with her."

"You're not chatting with anyone!" Charlotte replied loudly, causing Jeremy to walk out of his room and ask if everything was okay. "Yeah, Jeremy. It's fine."

"Smart choice. Now get you sister for me?"

And it seemed Charlotte was still under Elijah's original compulsion.

"Elena, can you give me a hand? I can't find any of our records!"

Elena walked out of her room to find Charlotte and Elijah.

"I'm so sorry, Elena. He made me do it."

"Charlotte, please leave us to talk." Elijah commanded with a small smile on his face.

"Elena, don't listen to a word he says. He's going to manipulate you. Remember, he tried to kill both of us."

Charlotte stormed into her room with a glare, but not before turning to Elijah. "There are very few people in this world that I loathe, but you are one of them, you dishonorable, manipulative rogue."

She found herself texting Stefan, telling him to give Elena a call when he had the chance. She was filled with so much worry and anger that she had to resort to cleaning, something she only does when infuriating.

About halfway through the organizing of her shoes, she heard a knock at her door, which was odd, because Jeremy and Elena _never_ knocked. Charlotte went to the door and opened it, seeing Elijah, and immediately tried to close it, but he caught his foot in the door.

"Could I please come in?"

Charlotte looked at him. "Fine, I might as well do something _under my own control._" Charlotte Stepped aside and welcomed him in, closing the door behind him. "What can I help you with, Elijah?"

"I'd like to apologize to you, Charlotte Gilbert. Please allow me to explain."

Charlotte's expression softened. "Continue."

"I've always considered myself a noble man, honorable, a man of my word. And what I had you do was completely against in what I believe. You were nothing but an innocent girl trying to protect her family, and I truly do respect that, more than anything. So I extend my deepest apologies."

Charlotte said nothing. "You call yourself a noble, moral man. Yet you consider sacrificing my family for yours. In what world is that just?" She replied quietly, thinking.

"You misunderstand, but for understandable reasons. I am not trying to help my brother Niklaus break the curse, as I'm sure you've heard. I'm trying to kill him. And Elena, I assure you, will not die. I simply wish to lure him in before striking. Elena, you, and all of your loved ones, in exchange, will be protected."

"You want to kill your own brother?"

Elijah sighed, pacing the room and gazing at its trinkets. "Niklaus is a very dangerous man. I love him, of course, but there is a point where loyalty must draw the line. One can be loyal to a brother, or to humanity itself. He is incredibly powerful and after the breaking of this curse he will be unreasonably so."

"I infer that reasoning with him is no longer an option?"

"I'm afraid so."

Charlotte nodded.

"Elijah."

"Yes, Charlotte?"

"I forgive you."

Elijah didn't respond at first. "Charlotte Gilbert, I'd like you to know how much I truly do respect you. You have a loyalty and a kindness that are incredibly rare."

"Thank You." She replied flatly.

"Thank you for your forgiveness. I must be going now."

* * *

"Stefan? Stefan? You're standing right behind me aren't you?"

"Yep." Elena turned around and kissed her boyfriend.

"Good morning."

"Good morning!" Charlotte replied, standing in the doorway. "I didn't mean to interrupt, but it was Elena's idea that I join her in visiting your fine home."

"Sorry, Charlotte. Give us a moment?" Elena asked.

"All I am is moments." She smiled, giving them a wink before walking away. She wandered down the halls and entered the library, where she found Damon and Rose. But Rose looked horrible, sick, dying. Vampires weren't supposed to do that.

"Oh my goodness, what's the matter?" Charlotte asked walking into the library. "Are you okay?"

"I'm dying." She replied solemnly.

"No, she's not." Damon corrected. "Vampires don't die."

"How did this happen?"

"I pissed off a werewolf so she attacked Rose." Damon admitted. "But it's gonna be fine."

"Bitten by a werewolf? What does that mean?" Charlotte asked, sitting in a chair near Rose.

"It's fatal." Rose replied. "I'm going to die. I've lived 560 years. That's long enough to live. I can die."

"All we have to back up the theory of a lethal bite is legend, and that's hardly a reliable source."

"Is there anything I can do, Rose?" Charlotte asked.

She laughed. "You don't need to pretend to care."

Charlotte shook her head. "I'm not pretending. No one deserves to be in as much pain as it appears you're in."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Here. Blood heals." He claimed, passing her a chalace of red.

Rose nodded. "Indeed it does." She agreed as she drank it.

"Let's have a look. Come on, let me see." Damon took a peek at her wound and looked to Charlotte. "It's not bad. Right, Charlotte?"

"I've seen worse." Charlotte smiled at Rose. "You're gonna be just fine, right, Elena?"

"It's not bad."

"Where's Stefan?" Charlotte asked.

"He left. Damon, I need you to talk to him. He's convinced that he has to find Isobel but I think that's gonna upset Elijah."

"No, can do. I'm with Stefan on this one."

"Damon, can I have a word with you?" Charlotte asked.

"Elena, if you could play nurse for a little while…" Damon suggested. Rose tried to protest, but Damon kept Elena as a nurse.

Damon and Charlotte left the room. Charlotte opened her mouth to talk, but Elena appeared before them. "Damon, is she gonna die?"

"Probably. The wolf bite caused some kind of infection and it's getting worse." He said solemnly. Charlotte stayed quiet.

"Like poison?"

"I don't know, Elena. I'm not an expert in the field." He sounded exhausted, stressed, out of hope.

"Death happens. We come, we go. Sooner she dies the better. It's gloomy as hell in here." Elena nodded and went back into the room. "What can I help you with, kid?"

"Wherever you're going, take me with you." Charlotte asked. "Please."

Damon looked at her questionably. "Firstly-why. Secondly-No."

"Because I hate the idea of death and I cannot bear to be around it. And besides, I'm incredibly good at decision making. I have a mind for logic, unlike Elena and every other fucking idiot in this town."

Damon nodded. "Fine. You can come on this little adventure, but only because I've dealt with both Elena and Jeremy and you really can't screw up any more than they can."

"Damon, you're the best." Charlotte told him.

"I know."

As Charlotte told Elena of her plans, Damon got a call from Alaric.

"Charlotte, the train's leaving! We've got something important to do!"

"Bye, Elena!" Charlotte declared before Elena could protest.

When Charlotte and Damon got in the car, Damon started telling Charlotte what was going on.

"I just got a call from Ric. The werewolf is at the grille, and I'm gonna try to get some answers."

"On how to save Rose?"

"You got it."

"Don't do anything stupid." Charlotte warned. "You've got pretty good judgement, but when you get emotional you can kind of put that aside. Everyone does that-"

"I'm not emotional, Charlotte." Damon interrupted. "I'm simply trying to save my friend's life. You weren't thinking about what was stupid and what wasn't when you decided to sass original vampire Elijah."

"That wasn't stupid!" Charlotte disagreed. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Whatever, kid." Damon told her. "On the note of doing stupid things, when we're at the grille, don't. The wolf can't hurt me because there isn't a full moon for a while, but you're still human. She could kill you in a second if she pleased, and we both know she'll hold grudges because I pissed her off. So pretend you don't know me."

"I can do that." Charlotte agreed.

Damon pulled into the parking lot of the Grille and reminded Charlotte not to be an idiot. WHen the two walked in, Damon spotted Stefan. "Perfect. New baby sitter. You watch her." Damon handed Lottie over to Stefan who made a sarcastic remark at Damon.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan questioned.

"Getting away from all of the sadness at your place. Damon said I could tag along, but obviously messing with a wolf, as a human, is a horrid idea. Whatever. Looks like you're stuck with me now. I hear you're on a mission to find Elena's birth mother, eh?"

"That's the plan."

"Let me help."

"Charlotte, nothing against you, but I don't think-"

"Stefan, I know a thing or two about detective work. Let me tag along. Besides, you're going to need someone on your side. Nobody else seems to be. I'm with you on this one."

Stefan nodded. "Fine. You can tag along."

"As I should be."

At that moment Stefan received a phone call, which he answered and then motioned for Charlotte to follow him, which he did. He continued talking as they got in the car. When he hung up, he looked at Charlotte.

"Looks like you will be helpful. That was John. He's coming into town, and we're talking to him."

"It's a good thing you're sitting next to the only person on good terms with Uncle John."

* * *

"Stefan Salvatore."

"John Gilbert."

The two shook hands.

"Uncle John." Charlotte declared.

"Lottie, what are you doing here?" He asked, wrapping her in a cordial hug.

"Oh, you don't know. I know about all of the vampire business now. Turns out I was kidnapped with Elena because a certain biological father kept her ignorant of everything. Understandably, of course. But now I'm just doing what everybody else is trying to do-protect her. I don't have a target on my back and therefore I need to use my safety to ensure hers."

"You're a good sister." John told her.

"And you're a sub par father. Now, let's get down to business, shall we?" Charlotte insisted.

The three met at a house halfway between John's location and Mystic Falls. They sat down in the small living room-it was a friend of a friend's home. Otherwise known as one of John's investments.

"So we're here about Elena, yeah?" Stefan started. "I need to find Isobel. She knows about Klaus and Elena."

"As do I, Stefan. She's told me a few things about it. And I know how to protect Elena."

"I don't believe you." Charlotte interrupted. "I don't believe that you can easily protect Elena from the most dangerous vampire in history. I understand you're intelligent, but I don't think you're as powerful as you believe you are. It's too easy."

John looked to Charlotte. "I understand why you'd think that, Lottie. But you must trust me. I haven't been there for Elena for years, but I intend to be, now."

"You haven't been there for any of us, John. And for Elena's and Jeremy's and Jenna's and even my parents' sake, I hope to God you're right. Now, what can you tell us about Isobel?"

"I can tell you what she told me. Elena is in danger, of Klaus. Klaus wants to break the curse and he is very real. The curse is broken by. . ."

* * *

"Elena really didn't want you treading in these waters, you know." Lottie told Stefan on the way back to Mystic Falls, John following in the car behind them. "She said she thought it would upset Elijah."

"And what do you think, Lottie?"

"Obviously I agree with you. She's my sister and she can be selfish in her selflessness. Well, in reality, we're selfish. We don't want to lose her because she's out of this world-she's someone unlike others. She a light in the world and without her there's darkness that neither I, nor you, nor Damon, want to live with. Screw Elijah. He isn't God, and as far as I know we aren't breaking any deals."

"You're right." Stefan agreed. "About why we're all doing this. You hit it."

"How do you think Elena's going to feel about seeing John?"

"She'll be upset, but it's for her own good."

"Jenna will be livid."

"She doesn't have a choice either."

"I just hope we are making the right choice."

Stefan turned to Charlotte. "We are."

"Are we going to tell Damon what we're doing?"

"He'll figure it out." Stefan decided. "Charlotte, I've gotta say. I underestimated you."

"Thanks, I guess." Charlotte muttered. "We're about to get real deep here, okay, Stefan?"

He laughed. "Sure thing, Lottie."

"I think you're really good for Elena. I know you think you pulled her into this world of the dangerous supernatural, but you didn't. She was born in it. And I can't imagine what her life would be like without you to protect her from it. She would be dead by now, or captured and ready to be sacrificed. But she's not and that's because of you. You and Damon saved us. You've saved her, and probably me too, countless times. And I can't think you more for taking care of my little sister-for doing all of the things I can't." She took a deep breathe after her monologue. "That being said, I need to make a deal with you that does not leave this car."

"What is it?"

"Jenna, obviously, does not get even a little involved. And Jeremy, I know he believes he wants to help, but he's too young. They both stay completely out of the picture. I do not, however. I will remain allowed to fight for my sister because that's all I _can _do. And above all else, Elena comes first. I don't care if they are about to kill me, or torture me, or you, or anyone. Elena stays alive. Deal?"

Stefan paused. "Deal."

* * *

Elena sighed, walking through the door. Stefan is sitting in the kitchen. Charlotte is standing next to him.

"Stefan, Charlotte. You're home."

"Is Rose?" Lottie started. Elena shook her head, breaking Lottie's heart.

"I called Rose." Stefan told her.

"I know."

"I'm sorry, I-we- had to."

"It's okay." Elena nodded. "Did you guys find her?"

"Not exactly. Now, Elena, please don't be mad-" Charlotte warned.

"What's going on?"

John emerged from the living room. "Hello, Elena."

"Uncle John?"

* * *

Anyway, John and Elena acted all cordial beating around the bush, and Charlotte went to bed, because she honestly didn't want to deal with that. Charlotte did that a lot, actually, leaving situations because they seemed inconvenient. Anyway, the next morning, Charlotte rose bright and early do catch up on the responsibilities that she had previously been neglecting. She had a current events assignment to work on-you know, reading the newspaper every day in order to promote discussion on current affairs. And she had to eat breakfast, because she hadn't eaten at all the previous day. It was about time Charlotte get back to her life, that of the living.

It was about eight in the morning when she arose, the first one awake in the house. She got a pot of coffee going and cut some fruit for herself, deliberately making a bit of an extra serving for anyone who wanted it. She also popped a piece of bread in the toaster and waited for the coffee to finish brewing and for the bread to toast. As she did this, she went outside and brought in the mail and paper. Bill. Bill. College advert for Elena. For Lottie. For Lottie. A letter for Lottie, from Mara, with whom she exchanged letters regularly. And then the paper.

Animal attack. Except, it wasn't an animal attack. It was a vampire attack. That made Lottie wonder. She put her paper down and poured herself a cup of coffee, adding plenty of cream, and pulled her toast out of the toaster. She arranged herself a nice little plate of fruit and peanut butter toast, which she enjoyed as she read the article on the animal attack.

About midway into the article, she heard footsteps approaching the kitchen. Without looking-she could recognize the gait- she announced her presence.

"Good Morning, Uncle John." Charlotte called.

"Morning, Lottie. I didn't expect you to be up this early."

"It's eight thirty. And in case you didn't know, I'm a morning person." She said, putting down her coffee. "Take a look at the news." She told him, setting the paper down and pointing at the front page article.

"Perfect. Exactly what I need." He sighed as he poured his coffee.

"We haven't had one in a while, and that means a few things. Either we have a new irresponsible, despicable vampire in town, or it was a vampire that's already in town."

"I'm talking to the counsel today."

"Good luck." She said as John turned on the TV from the kitchen. It had on the news channel, with Andie Starr reporting the same animal attack. "Great. It's everywhere, isn't it?"

Elena entered the room then. "Good Morning." John told her.

"What are you doing here?" Elena demanded.

"Oh boy." Charlotte said to herself.

"Coffee?" He offered.

"We're not doing that. We did that last night. No more avoiding. Why are you here?"

"I'm here to protect you. That's all I can say for the moment."

Charlotte stayed quiet and continued to awkwardly sip her coffee and pretend to read the newspaper.

"What do you mean that's all you can say?"

"I'll tell you more when I'm convinced I can trust you." He insisted cryptically.

This dispute was interrupted by the entrance of Jenna and Alaric.

"I'm late!" Jenna was _always_ late.

"That's what you get for hitting the snooze three times!" They laughed until they finally reached the room and Jenna spotted John.

"What the hell?"

"Good morning, Jenna, Alaric." John smiled smugly, like all was natural.

"It's okay that I'm confused, right? Because I didn't expect this to happen, like, ever." Jenna ranted, trying to work out exactly what was happening.

"Well, I got in late last night. Charlotte let me in." Technically, he wasn't lying. Charlotte is the one who let him in.

"You know, I'm gonna take off," Alaric said, deciding to exist the awkward situation. He looked to Charlotte and Elena before leaving.

"I'm still confused here." Jenna shrugged.

"I decided to come back and stay for a while."

"Not here, you're not." Jenna put her foot down, not wanting John's toxic behavior to affect her family life. Probably a smart move.

"You can't stop me from living here," John challenged.

"Actually, as legal guardian, I can."

Charlotte inhaled, awkwardly taking a bite of her fruit.

"About that, Elena, would you like to explain, or shall I?"

"What's going on?"

"You know, technically this doesn't-" Charlotte started, but Elena interrupted her.

"Jenna, I should've told you earlier, but-"

"I'm Elena's biological father." John was about to drop the bomb and leave, but Charlotte stopped him.

"John! That gives you absolutely zero legal authority or right to be in this house!" Charlotte shouted at him, upset by his taking advantage of Jenna. Then Charlotte left, dumping her dishes in the sink and throwing the newspaper on the table, and allowed Elena to explain it all to Jenna. "Get off you damn high horse!"

Charlotte stormed into the living room and changed the television station to national news, the stuff that actually mattered to her. Vampire nonsense only meant so much. There Charlotte stayed for about an hour, practically asleep, before Jenna stormed into the living room. "I cannot belief that son of a- sorry. He's your uncle."

"No he's a son of a bitch; you can say it. Just because he's my uncle doesn't mean he's exempt from criticism. Here. Sit down." Charlotte moved her legs, leaving room for Jenna to sit, and turned the TV down so that she could rant.

"Have you known about this?"

"Maybe," Charlotte confessed. "But it wasn't my secret to tell you! I sort of assumed you already knew!"

Jenna nodded. "I get it, Charlotte. I mean, I never told Elena she was adopted, nobody told you, so on and so on. But what makes John think he can waltz on in here demanding authority of fatherhood he had never even requested or acknowledged before?"

Charlotte obviously knew more than Jenna, but she naturally couldn't say it. She just shrugged. "Better late than never, but the way he's going about it is gross. You realize he has absolutely no legal authority as biological father, correct? It would be as if my parents adopted some random baby and the father came back demanding lodging."

"But I don't want to just kick out Elena's dad!"

"John Gilbert is not Elena's dad." Charlotte corrected her. "Greyson Gilbert, my father, is Elena's dad. John Gilbert is just the penis." She said so nonchalantly, without reservation.

"Ugh. You're right." She groaned. "He can stay. For now. But if he does anything that crosses the line or encroaches on my authority, he's out!"

She sat up and stomped allowing Charlotte to turn the TV back up and lay down, eventually falling into a nap.

She was only awoken by a banging on the door. She gently stirred awake as Elena opened it, allowing the visitor to enter the home.

"Where's John?"

"On his fucking mountain of superiority!" Charlotte called in her half asleep stupor.

"Said the person who brought him to town." Damon called back.

"Just because I thought we could use him doesn't mean I like it!" Charlotte retorted.

"Anyway, where is he?"

"He's not here; he left. I don't know where he went. He just blew in, announced to Jenna that he's my dad, and then took off."

"That's public knowledge now?"

"Apparently."

"He's up to something!" Charlotte interjected.

The two still ignored her.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked Elena.

"Yeah. Jenna's head spinning, but I'm okay." She decided.

"Did he tell anyone what he was doing here? That goes for you too, Sleeping Beauty." Charlotte huffed and sat up, covering her knees with the blanket and once more muting the news.

"He wants to help Elena."

"That's what Stefan said. And he thinks he's telling the truth," Elena pointed out.

"Do you believe him?" Damon asked her.

"No, not for a second."

"What about you Charlotte?" Damon asked.

"I believe he wants to help Elena, but I don't believe that's all of it. He's not evil. He never has been, but that doesn't mean he isn't a prick with ulterior motives. Of course he wants to save his daughter's life, especially if he's been at least sort of in her life for a while, as he uncle or whatever. So yeah, I think he's going to try and save Elena, but I'm not saying we should completely trust him. That would be idiotic."

"I don't believe him." Damon decided.

"What are we gonna do?" Elena asked.

"Kill him." Damon said naturally.

"Off limits, Damon!" Charlotte shouted.

"I'm joking." Pause. "Okay, I'm a little serious."

"Damon!" Elena shouted.

"Relax, I'm not gonna hurt him, Elena. I'm a good huy now, remember?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes, formulating her own speculations about him.

"What does that mean?"

"I'm going to have a civil conversation with your father."

"Stop calling him her father." Charlotte said quietly, defending her own late father.

"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Elena shouted, following him.

"Shit." Charlotte said. "That means me too." And she too followed Damon out to his car.

* * *

"Please don't do anything stupid. We just need answers." Elena begged Damon.

"But stupid is so much fun." He replied, walking over to John. "John, how have you been?"

"I've been all right, Damon. It's good to see you." Charlotte couldn't help but smile at the irony of the statement.

Meaningless small talk continued until John walked away to light a candle. Charlotte went to the bar to grab a diet soda, and Elena followed her, unsure of what to do.

"Hey there, friend." Charlotte smiled at her younger sister. "How are you? Really?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "Hanging in there."

"We should go shopping." Charlotte declared. "Like, ASAP. You need it. I need it. My wardrobe is in need of refreshing."

"That sounds great, but, rain check? You should yo with Mara. It's been a while since you've talked to her. I don't want you to neglect your social life."

"Mara is my best friend, and she can wait. You are my sister, and you are what is important to me right now."

"What is important to me is that you spend some of your time normal. Something I can't do. Please, let me feel like there is some normalcy?"

Charlotte smiled. "You're an exceptional sister, Elena, trying to guilt trip me into something that is for my own good."

"Go. You drove here. Stop by her house. I'm sure she'd love it. Maybe you'll see Collin too."

Charlotte smiled. "Don't let Damon do anything stupid." She gave her little sister a quick peck on the cheek before running out of the grille and into her car, where she called up her best friend Mara.

"Mars Bars! Long time, no talk. Be ready. I'll be at your house in T minus ten minutes. We've got shopping to do."

It was later at night when Charlotte dropped Mara back off at her house, and almost immediately after she received a cal from Elena, connected through her telephone. "Charlotte, something's happened."

* * *

Caroline couldn't catch a break. Tyler had just left, and if this was him again, she would be livid.

"Tyler, I don't want to talk about it!" Caroline shouted, opening the door. Only instead of the douchey werewolf backstabber, it was one of her oldest friends, standing with a bag full of emergency supplies.

"Well, good. Tyler is an asshole. Could I join you?"

Caroline nodded as she started to cry. Lottie dropped her bag at the door and wrapped her arms around Caroline, allowing her to cry into her shoulder.

After Caroline got it all out, Lottie escorted her to her kitchen table. "Your mom is working tonight, yeah?"

Caroline nodded, trying to stop herself from crying.

"Perfect." Lottie gave her her best smile. "I ran a few errands. The Salvatores were mighty gracious in their donations. Stopped by the Grille, too." She began to take things out of the bag. "Firstly, really unhealthy chilli cheese fries, which you know you love." Caroline laughed. "Luckily as a vampire you don't need to worry about carbs. And for dessert, ice cream, of course. And I even grabbed something special from the Salvatore house for you, too." Out of the tote she pulled a brown bag, filled with blood bags. "I can even microwave it for you if you want." Caroline couldn't help but laugh at this. "And, for refreshments." Charlotte had confiscated some Salvatore liquor, after asking Stefan, who said yes much easier than Damon would. "And we have trashy chick flicks, raunchy comedies, and seasons one and two of Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Then she pulled out Elena's pedicure kit and facials.

"You didn't have to do this."

Charlotte snapped her fingers. "Oh, yeah. I knew I forgot something!"

Then the doorbell rang. Charlotte answered, revealing Stefan. "Hey, Charlotte. You forgot these at home." He smiled as Bonnie and Elena walked through the doors. "We're gonna slumber it!"

"Welcome to the party, ladies."


	3. Chapter 3

_For those of you in love with the Dynamic between Charlotte and Elijah, this chapter is the one for you._

_Playlist:_

_Moving in the Dark-Neon Trees_

_To Be Bright- Sara Jackson-Holmon_

_These Days-The Black Keys_

The quartet were sleeping wonderfully, until Elena's stupid phone had to go and wake everyone up.

"Get out." Caroline mumbled, pushing her, receiving an unrecognizable noise from Elena. Elena scooted over to grab her cell phone as Charlotte tried to shove her off the bed completely, making more room for herself.

"Hello?" It was like she was screaming, the girls were so exhausted and hungover.

"No talking!" Charlotte screamed back. Elena quieted down a bit.

"Good and much needed. When can we have one?" Elena continued to flirt over the phone with Stefan as Caroline and Charlotte sarcastically mouthed the words.

"Okay. Now. Today. Take me far, far away. Especially because of everything that's happening. Uh, this has everything to do with that."

Elena smiled and hung up. "Gotta go, girls. Lake house with Stefan."

"If you're leaving, leave! Caroline yelled at her.

"Bye, 'Lena," Charlotte mumbled.

"Use protection." Was uttered from Bonnie.

As soon as Elena quietly left the house, the three girls dozed back to sleep, only to be awoken once more by the even more annoying ring of Charlotte's phone. "Ugh!" The two girls pushed Lottie off the bed completely.

"Hello?" Charlotte answered.

"Hey, are you still at Caroline's?"

"Yes, m'am." Charlotte replied.

"You're coming to the Founder's Tea today."

"Thanks, Jenna, that was exactly how I wanted to spend my day. You know exactly how to make me swoon."

"Cut it out, kid. Do this for me. I'm barely a Founder, and I don't want to risk having to deal with your stupid uncle. And you know more history than half the people there. It's all in honor of that Elijah guy, anyway."

"Suck ups. Who writes a book about small Virginian towns?" Charlotte joked.

"Stop talking!"

"Anyway, get your butt home so you can get ready."

"Am I even allowed? Isn't this sort of a, oh, I don't know, adult thing?"

"You're almost eighteen. I especially asked Mrs. Lockwood if you could attend, since you owed me a favor, and she said it would be lovely to have you. You're a tea snob anyway, come show them how it's done. Protect me from them. If Ric and I have to do it, so do you. And we're not even founders."

"Fine." Charlotte groaned and rolled over, hanging up. "Later, guys. I have grown up stuff to do."

"Get out." The both mumbled.

"Lovely hanging out with you."

Charlotte grabbed her overnight bag and keys and sneaked out of Caroline's house and into her car, driving home. When she arrived, Jenna looked her over and laughed. "Long night?"

"It's nothing."

"I'm not asking questions. I heard Caroline had a rough day and needed some cheering up. That's all I know." She chuckled. "Coffee?"

"I'd love some." Charlotte sighed and gratefully took the cup of black coffee Jenna offered her. "This is disgusting."

"It's good for you, kid." She smiled. "Now go shower, you smell like hormones, sweat, and alcohol."

Lottie downed the rest of her coffee before waltzing up the stairs, where she found Elena packing. "Jenna's making me go to the stupid tea for Elijah."

"Be careful." Elena told her. "Damon and Ric will be there. They won't let anything happen."

"I'm not afraid. Elijah and I understand each other," Charlotte insisted. "Damon is who I'm worried about. And Ric."

"In that case, keep him in check. I'm sure Aunt Jenna will keep Ric in check."

"Thanks for that. Is Jeremy here?"

"Asleep."

"As usual. Okay. I need to shower."

"Yeah, I just got out. It was much needed."

"I don't need the details." Charlotte remarked as Elena laughed. She grabbed a towel and jumped into the shower, preparing herself for the day ahead of her. She was like Jenna; she always hated the prissy events of the counsel. The balls, events, formals, they were all just excuses to flaunt the town's wealth from hundreds of years of immoral history. Tax dollars were being spent on them, yet no one seemed to care. They were all distracted by the Lockwood's chic decor, or the delicate foods, or the superior spirits.

It was all bullshit to keep the town happy and ignorant, and Charlotte knew that now.

And Charlotte knew that she would probably have to brush up on her history, read a journal, or a Wikipedia page, before attending the ver prestigious event. Seriously, _why did Jenna want her to go? _

Getting out of the shower, Charlotte wrapped herself in her towel and dried her hair, allowing the waves to form naturally. She then pulled on her underwear, bra, stockings, slip, and one of her go to _nice _dresses. It was an Adrianna Papell, sleeveless, covered in lace, in Mulberry. She applied a light layer of make up, foundation, powder, and eye color in natural pink hues, with brown liner and mascara, paired with a coral lipstick and blush, she looked practically proper. She then took her hair into account. The waves were okay, but they were way too frizzy. She stole some of Elena's frizz spray and sprayed herself, brushing through her hair all the while. When it reached a tolerable state, she took a few simple bobby pins and pinned back her bangs, allowing her bright eyes to show. Her mom used to always complain about the hair in her eyes.

She slipped on a pair of nude heals, grabbed a clutch for her wallet, phone, and feminine products, and waltzed down the stairs, where she found Jenna waiting for her.

"Don't you look proper." She commented. "Come on; we're meeting Ric there."

"I'm sure he's thrilled."

"Oh, yeah."

On the ride, Charlotte read the Mystic Falls wikipedia page, sarcastically quizzing Jenna all the while. Lottie felt the need to stand in comparison to Carol Lockwood with her knowledge.

It's not like she wasn't good at history, it's just that local history literally _did not matter at all._

When the pair arrived at the mansion, Mrs. Lockwood greeted them affectionately and primly at the door.

"Jenna, come in, come in. And Charlotte, you look absolutely marvelous."

"As do you, Mayor Lockwood. Thank you so much for having me." Charlotte returned the hug graced on her every time they met. Charlotte always was Mrs. Lockwood's favorite, while Elena was Sherif Forbes's favorite. Different strokes, she guessed.

Charlotte followed Jenna around the room, small talking, faking enthusiasm. When Alaric arrived, Jenna went to meet him, leaving Charlotte to make them tea, as she preferred it. Black, English, with a bit of cream and a surplus of sugar.

Jenna and Alaric returned to her, taking their cups of tea, which they barely intended to drink.

"I'm going to walk the room, do what you two are incapable of doing and pretend that I belong here." Charlotte winked, pointing at them while clicking her mouth, and walked away, where she found Mr. and Mrs. Harper.

"Mr. Harper, Mrs. Harper! How are you?" Charlotte asked, giving Mrs. Harper a hug.

"You know you're supposed to call us Ben and Lucy, correct?" Mr. Harper declared, giving her a side hug. Yeah, they were on that level, but in such a formal setting, she was unsure. Charlotte had practically lived at their house the summer after he parents passing, and Mara and Charlotte had been playing together since they both joined book club.

"Sure thing," Charlotte agreed. "I didn't expect to find you two here."

"We are founders." Lucy replied, a bit ironically, "What are you doing here? You aren't a member of the historical society yet. You're not even eighteen."

"My Aunt Jenna roped me into it. She hates these things. But now she's with her boyfriend and I'm trying my best to mingle."

Her second parents laughed. "Always the charmer, Charlotte."

"So what do you know about this Elijah guy this is for?"

"All I know is that he's writing on the history of Virginia, mostly the smaller towns."

Charlotte looked around, then whispered to them. "That sounds like the dullest book."

Ben whispered back to her. "I know. But we aren't responsible for its success."

"Don't tell the mayor that," Lucy joked.

Charlotte continued to talk to the Harpers for a bit longer before excusing herself to work the crowd to the best of her ability. And then she saw Damon walk in, being intercepted by Jenna, and then followed his gaze to Elijah, who was speaking with Mayor Lockwood. He sauntered past Andie and Jenna, who were standing together, watching him. Charlotte put on her best smile and waltzed towards the two woman. "Hi, I don't think I've properly met you." Charlotte said, putting her hand out. Andie took her hand, cupping her other one around it.

"It's lovely to meet you. Jenna's told me so much."

"I'm honored. The pleasure is mine. I'm actually a massive fan. The piece you did on Egypt was spot on."

"Thank you, that was a piece of which I was very proud. It's so nice being recognized for more than just being a pretty face on TV."

Charlotte nodded. "So many people don't realize how much work news anchors actually do. It's been wonderful talking to you." Charlotte strutted towards where Alaric and John were standing.

"Charlotte, you look lovely."

"Thank you, Uncle John." She replied politely.

"Do you have any idea what Damon is doing with Elijah?"

"Seriously?" She huffed. "Probably something stupid." She went to follow them into the study, but both Alaric and John caught her, causing her to stumble and trip a bit on her too high heals.

"No, no, no." John told her, prohibiting her from going any farther.

"Whatever he's doing in there is significantly less stupid than what you were about to do." Alaric agreed with John, for once.

"Although it's magnificent to see you two agreeing, I must beg to differ. I wasn't about to threaten an Original vampire, which I bet my inheritance that he is doing."

"Either way, it's not your responsibility." John declared.

"If it isn't mine, then whose is it? Somebody's got to watch him, he's like a child without a sense of logical reasoning. You don't just let children get their own way."

"Exactly. You're being a child, and you will not get your way. Stay here so I know you don't do anything idiotic." John commanded. Charlotte sighed and crossed her arms.

"Yes, Uncle John." She replied childishly.

"So, Alaric, does Jenna know about your extracurricular activities? Maybe it's time we tell her. I mean, she can't stay in the dark forever." He was just antagonizing Alaric, and without reason.

"John," Charlotte used his first name this time.

"You're a dick." Alaric told him. Right on, Charlotte thought.

"Also, I don't think you should sleep over anymore. It's inappropriate with children in the house," John kept pushing.

"Actually, I don't think it is. He is our history teacher, there to help us with homework and all that jazz. He's like the strong male figure we needed after my parents died, the one you never were."

John ignored her. "Oh, and that ring that Isobel gave you, that's mine. I'm gonna want that back."

"I don't like you anymore, John. You're an asshole. I've the shred of respect I once had for you." She waltzed off, strutting briskly towards the study from which she had been banned.

"Here goes nothing." She mumbled, opening the doors.

"You can't kill me, man. That's not a part of the deal." Damon was bloody, under Elijah's mercy, and tempting it.

"Damon!" Charlotte turned into her mother instantly, using the voice she had grown incredibly familiar with when in disputes with Elena or Jeremy. This voice was mixed with one of utter fear, concern.

The two vampires looked towards Charlotte.

"Charlotte, get out of here. Now. This doesn't concern you." Damon's voice was of concern, but mostly annoyance.

"Damon, do not push him." Charlotte said quietly, yet sternly, trying not to look at the scene before her, yet trying still to help her friend. "Damon, please." She begged.

"Why? He can't kill me!" Damon choked out a laugh, to which Charlotte could only bite her lip in frustration, willing this all to stop.

"Silence." Elijah told him. "This'll only take a moment more, Miss Gilbert."

Elijah pulled a pencil from Damon, painfully, as Charlotte could not help but shriek from concern. "I'm an Original. Show some respect." He wiped off his hands with a handkerchief from his suit pocket. Then he dangled it in front of Damon, who swiftly grabbed it and put it to his wound, making Charlotte cringe. "The minute you stop being useful to me, you are dead. So I suggest you do what I require. Keep Elena safe." Elijah sauntered out of the room, making meaningful eye contact with Charlotte. Charlotte immediately rushed towards Damon.

"Are you okay? What did you do? Did you threaten him? Do you need anything, blood, here!" She offered her wrist, which Damon shoved away.

"What the hell was that?" Damon shouted at her. "What game are you playing here, Gilbert, because I don't think you're doing it very well."

"Someone has to stop you when you're being a moron. That could have broken his deal! You could be dead, he could stop trying to help everyone. He's the reason you and Stefan and Caroline survived the other night, Damon!"

"I know what I'm doing, Charlotte. I'm not a child, like you are. Barging in and begging for me to shrink away."

"I would have been in here to prevent you from doing anything had John and Alaric not stopped me." Charlotte rolled her eyes, wiping Damon's suit. "Listen, Elena told me to keep you under control, and we all know that what Elena says goes."

Damon chuckled, understand her joke.

"Now, maybe try thanking me for attempting to save everyone's sorry-ass life." She tossed the handkerchief violently back to Damon and stormed out of the room, leaving Damon behind. "Imbecile."

Her heals clicked as she exited the study, only to have Elijah waiting for her. "Charlotte. I didn't expect to see you here. You look ravishing. Walk with me." Even though Charlotte would have willingly walked with him, Elijah technically still had her under his compulsion.

She smiled politely at him. "My aunt demanded I come along to do all of the small talk she is unable to do. It's a chore, really. I loathe small talk." She attempted to steer clear from the event that preceded their conversation.

"Which is exactly what we're participating in now, ironically. I wanted to talk to you about what just happened in there."

"If you're upset with me for barging in, I apologize." She was afraid. Originals were easily offended. "I just knew that Damon was up to something, and I wanted to try and prevent it, but I was a bit too late."

"Apology not required." He assured her. "I wanted to know if you knew anything that I haven't been told. Any information being upheld."

She looked to him. "None of my friends seem to trust you, or anyone but themselves, really. Elena and I are the only ones with any faith in you. All of this aside, with all due respect, if I did know anything, I wouldn't tell you." She replied bluntly.

"Understandable. But allow me to pass a warning onto your friends through you. If there are any goings on that breach the guidelines of our deal, there will be hell to pay."

"You said that in order to frighten me, yet you know that I have no trouble being frightened." She assessed, walking with Elijah through the room. "And you know, from just then, that they wouldn't take the warning seriously anyway. Which causes me to question your motives with that statement. Was it only to make me feel threatened?"

"I'm an Original; it's my job." There was a bit of humor in his voice.

"Ironically, with all of that in mind, you are the single person at this God-Awful event with whom I can tolerate speaking." She rolled her eyes. "You cannot imagine the inconveniences your cover story has caused for me. Everyone around here and their egos, thinking that this nothing town's events from a hundred or so years ago _actually matter._ Narcissism is abundant in this town. No one seems to realize how little we matter, or how much our history matters, to the grand progression of the world."

"Don't let anyone around here know that." Elijah chuckled at her, almost condescendingly. "Believe me, there is much more to this town than you know. The kind of stuff that did shape history. Just none of the petty foundings that this town prides itself on." He scoffed. "Anyway, Miss Gilbert, it was lovely speaking with you, but I must be moving on in order to propitiate this town."

"Elijah, one more thing. Please give my regards and thanks to Jonas for saving my friends. And thank you for ensuring their safety."

He gave her a curt nod before walking away.

As soon as Elijah was gone, John stormed towards her. "Charlotte, what were you just doing?"

"What everybody else is too oblivious to do. I'm being diplomatic. Threatening him and disrespecting him will get us no where. He promised to keep Elena safe. I believe him."

"But why are you being so pleasant with him?" John demanded.

"Because I'm afraid of him!" She shouted back in a whisper. "John, there's something you need to know."

"What is it?"

"Back when I was kidnapped, he compelled me to follow his every order. I'm still under it. I'm playing nice because I'm terrified of what he'll make me do." John could here the worry in her voice. Charlotte may not be his daughter, like Elena, but she was his niece. One that, up until now, had been on his side. One he had been relatively close with. He needed that compulsion gone. "You don't know what he made me do, John. He's powerful and he could kill us all in a moment. Play along." She walked over to Jenna, then. "Are you ready to leave yet?"

* * *

So, John and Jenna got into an argument about Jenna's "negligence" on letting Elena stay at the lake house with Stefan. And then she started shouting about how she wanted to avoid John, and therefore SHE is leaving. She said she'd be living with Alaric, who was not answering her calls, for the next few days. So that left Jeremy, John, and Charlotte. Jeremy hadn't been answering his phone, either, leaving Charlotte in her own predicament. Where was she to find refuge from John? First instinct, surprisingly had been at the Salvatores. Yes, with Damon. But he knew about everything, and she trusted him. She felt safe there. What could she say? So she tried calling Damon, but he didn't answer. Which was odd. Ric and Damon, both not answering the phone?

Then, Charlotte, idiotically, just drove over to the Salvatore house. She had invited herself plenty of times before, why would this be different? She parked in the driveway and saw both Ric's and Damon's cars. Suspecting nothing, she went and rapped on the door.

To her surprise, the door didn't open to Damon or Alaric, but to a man, not much older than her. He gave her a grin.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

Charlotte tried to push him aside and make her way in. "Ah, ah, ah." And then she felt something hard connect with the back of her head, escorting her into the forces of mandatory slumber.

She had woken up slightly in intervals to the sounds of screaming from the other room. The first time she found that she was tied, still on the ground, to a pole in the house. Her hands and feet were bound and her head was heavy. She tried her best to maintain consciousness, but there was a force keeping her from doing so. Did she have a concussion?

She faded back into the uncomfortable slumber.

The next time she woke up, she was more able to assess herself. On her wrists she could feel the irritation almost to the point of bleeding. And she saw the marks on her skin, as if she had just been carelessly dragged across the flooring. And her head. She felt the blood matting her hair. She must have been hit hard. Much harder than a human should be hit. And it was much hard than a human would hit.

She heard a scream again, coming from another room. After a bit, she recognized it as Damon's.

"Stop!" She tried to yell. "Please, stop hurting him. . ." The sound only came out weak and scratchy. "Stop!"

The last time she awoke, the room was spinning. She was delirious, she knew it. She felt as though she was on fire. She could barely keep her eyes open, for even the dimly lit room was too bright.

She heard footsteps come towards her as Damon continued screaming. "Please don't hurt me." She muttered quietly. "Please." She cried.

"It's okay, dear." She heard a familiar voice try and calm her. "You're okay."

She felt the ropes around her feet loosen.

"Damon-there are people here. They're hurting him. Help him." She let the words escape her mouth, using all of her energy to tell her familiar stranger that Damon is in trouble.

"You rank a bit higher on my priority list." He chuckled, untying the ropes around her hands.

"Help him." She was about to fall back into slumber, but she felt herself being lifted.

"Now is not the time for sleeping, Charlotte."

It felt like she was flying. In an instant she was in a new location, one which she had little time to assess before dozing off once more.

But then, Charlotte awoke more violently. She shot up in her spot, hyperventilating, and she was unsure of why. She had no memories of how she got where she was, or the events leading up to it. All she remembered was John and Jenna's argument. Where were her memories?

She was so confused. She felt like she existed outside the realm of reality and was now making her return. Her confusion and fear only grew when Elijah entered the room.

Thinking the worst, like she had been kidnapped, or Elijah needed revenge, or she's sacrificed herself for something stupid, thinking he was responsible for the pain she felt in the back of her head, or thinking he was responsible for the uneasiness and fear she had been experiencing. She was afraid. Something happened. Was it him?

Her heart started pounding and she cowered as he entered, a look of pure terror in her eyes.

"Don't be afraid. You're okay." Elijah lifted his hands to his chest, surrendering himself, offering peace. "I mean no harm."

Her expression softened as she calmed down, not totally trusting. All she remembered was the feeling of fear, and connecting the dots it seemed like Elijah was responsible for it. "Trust me." He commanded.

She took a deep breathe and nodded at him, still shaking.

"What do you remember, Charlotte?"

Charlotte began thinking back, suddenly remembering what happened.

"You saved me." Charlotte looked at Elijah.

He nodded. "That is the deal, is it not?"

"Damon-is he okay?"

Elijah chuckled. "You are ever so concerned with him. Yes, he's fine."

"Where am I?"

"You're at my temporary home, while I'm here."

"Why-why am I here?"

"Because I couldn't trust the baffoon to take care of you, and my deal with Elena prohibits you, on a high priority, from coming to harm. And besides, I heard the way he behaved towards you at Tea and figures he would only behave more inconsiderately. You were barely holding onto consciousness and begging for me to save Damon first, yet he doesn't even know you were there at all."

She said nothing for a while, but finally broke the silence.

"Elijah, I'd like to go home, if that's okay."

"As you wish."

* * *

"Hey, Jeremy, what's up?" Charlotte answered her phone after a good washing up and a half-assed explanation to Jenna of her whereabouts. It was about three hours since she originally went over to Damon's, and she really didn't know what to expect from Jeremy. Did he some how find out about her idiotic mistake, or her temporary stay at Elijah's residence?

"Hey, I-uh-have something to tell you. You might want to, I don't know, sit down or something."

"This doesn't sound good, Jer." She sat down on her bed, crossing her legs. "Talk to me."

"So, I guess I sort of need to explain myself. The reason I've been so AWOL today. Bonnie, and me, and Caroline, we kind of kidnapped Luka."

"Jeremy! His dad saved Caroline and Damon and Stefan!"

He ignored this statement. "Anyway, to cut to the point, we have some information that may shock you more than anyone else."

"Jeremy, cut to the chase, here. I've had a long day."

"Elijah means for the sacrifice to be completed so that he can kill Klaus."

"Well yeah, that was his plan all along? Sacrifice, Klaus killed, everybody is safe and happy except for this legendary vampire and assuming the man who killed his brother." Charlotte shrugged, unaware of the point Jeremy was trying to make.

"No, Charlotte. He wants to go through with the sacrifice. He plans on Elena dying. He's just using us."

Charlotte was in shock. She had placed her faith in a man who seemed to have the power to save her sister's life. "But he made a deal with Elena. He said she wasn't going to die."

"I know it's hard to believe, Lottie. But Elijah isn't the one to place your trust in."

Charlotte sighed. "You're right. We don't have any evidence to support his word meaning anything, or to support that he could actually protect Elena. I was a fool for believing it. Damon, curse me for saying it, was right. I'll talk to you later."

She stoically hung up the phone, stood up, and walked to John's current room, where she rapped on the door with purpose.

Just after he opened it, she walked right in, sitting in the desk chair. He seemed to have a sense of knowledge and closed the door.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?"

"It seems I've been made a fool, placing my trust in someone unworthy of it." She looked at her nails, avoiding eye contact and trying her best to appear stolid. "Elijah has planned for Elena to die all along. So now I am placing the last futile ounce of faith in you, John, and I hope to God it's the right decision. So here: I know I've been trying to keep everyone at arm's length of Elijah, trying to keep everyone from doing stupid things in order to please him, hoping that his deal was worth something, but not anymore. I want him dead. The deal is worthless, and I know that if anyone can stop him, it's you."

His expression remained emotionless. "Great to see you've come to the reasonable side." He went to his dresser, leaning up against it. "I'm surprised, however, to see that you've told yourself the truth, even with the strange infatuation you've had with that vampire."

"Infatuation with Elijah?" Charlotte would have laughed if she weren't so humiliated and insulted.

John nodded. "I'm not a fool, Charlotte. And I must say I disapprove of that more than I do of Elena's entanglement."

Charlotte stood up from her seat. "John, shall we count all of the chances I've given you? Because your luck is wearing thin with me, as is the last shreds of respect left in me. Listen here when I tell you that what I had for Elijah was not infatuation. It was my being cordial and respectful, as I've encouraged everyone to be, in order to keep the deal that now means nothing still going. It was a form of manipulation that has been used time after time and now it all means nothing. I'll leave it at this: I want Elena safe. That's all you're here for in my book. So tread carefully around me, John." She was agressive, defensive, but not to the point where he though she was over compensating. His only response was a condescending smile, causing her to leave the room in frustration. In an instant, still pajama clad, she snatched her keys and drove directly to the Salvatore house, waltzing through the door without a second thought, now uncaring about whomever inhabited.

"Looks like you got the call too, Gilbert." Damon poured himself a drink. "Want one?" He gestured to his cart of fine bourbon and whiskey.

Although Charlotte was known as a do-gooder and an abstainer from unhealthy influences, she was under a considerable amount of stress that allowed her to accept his offer without guilt. "Do whatever idiotic thing you feel you need to do, Damon."

"Alaric just left, so for the time being, you're my drinking buddy, got that?"

"Roger that, Captain." Charlotte pushed her hair back as Damon's phone rang.

"It's Stefan; I'll be right back."

"Take your time." She called as she took a drink of the burning liquid.

When Damon returned, he collapsed on the couch next to her and put his hand to his head. "I don't want to have to deal with any of this!"

"What now?"

Damon sat up. "Well, since you so kindly asked, I guess I'll inform you of a little spat I had earlier today. Jules the freaky wolf came and ambushed me and Ric looking for the moonstone."

_I know. I was there. _That was what she didn't say.

"And here I am informed that Stefan and Elena were ambushed as well. And guess who was there?"

"I couldn't tell you."

"Tyler Lockwood."

"God Damnit, that little traitor." She took another swig of her drink. "Best friends for ages and he decides to sell out someone he's known his whole life just because he is living with the consequences of murder. Seems like the perfect example of the world's fucked up version of justice, doesn't it?"

"It does, Gilbert. It really does. However, I have a plan."

"Care to share?"

"Might as well, we have the entire night."


	4. Chapter 4

_No playlist today. However, I do pose a few questions for my readers:_

_1. Who do you see Charlotte with, romantically? I've heard both Elijah and Klaus, but I'd love some opinions._

_2. Which celebrity do you see Lottie as? I described her a bit in the first chapter, but here's a refresher: Auburn/ Strawberry Blonde hair (from her mother's side, like Jenna's, for all of you interested in the utter accuracy) and she's pale. That's all I got. Of course she needs to be pretty, because all of the Gilberts are, and I don't want her too well known._

_Thanks, dogs. Enjoy the new chapter._

"Hey, Charlotte?"

"Yeah, Jer." She spun around from her desk to face him. "Whatcha need?"

"Do you think I can have the house tonight? I've this thing with Bonnie and-"

"Say no more, little brother." Charlotte smiled at him. "I've got five hundred words left of this essay and then I'll be out of your hair."

"Thanks, Charlotte." He had a look that could be described by nothing else than a boy who had a massive crush on a girl, and the girl liked him back.

As she finished the remainder of her paper, she received a call from Jenna.

"Hey, Jenna. What's up?"

"Hey, how's the paper going?"

"It's alright, what do you need?" More interruptions, she sighed, however she accepted them.

"I won't be home for dinner, so you and Jeremy are on your own." She told her. "Damon and Andie are throwing this dinner party for that Elijah guy. Apparently they hit it off when we met them for lunch after I showed him around. I don't know. It's Damon."

"Yeah, I get it." She tried to hide the worry in her voice. Damon was planning a dinner party, and messing with Elijah when both Jenna and Andie were around? "How did that go today, anyway?"

"It was fine. Ric showed up and got all jealous boyfriend." She laughed.

Go, Ric.

"Alright. I'll catch ya later."

"Later, Lottie."

After hanging up the phone, Charlotte realized she wouldn't be able to continue her life with ease without giving Damon a very clear warning. He was not to do anything to hurt Jenna. At all. She called him, and he answered in his snarky, all knowing tone, as usual.

"What's up, Lottie Gilbert?" The easiness in his voice drove her crazy. He was about to do something that risked her family, and he was just fine with that. But she knew overreacting wouldn't get her anywhere, especially with Damon who viewed emotions as petty signs of weakness.

"Hey, how come I wasn't invited to the dinner party?" She mocked the voice of a passive aggressive house mom, a signal that Damon clearly received.

"Alright, before you get all mightier than thou-"

"Damon, let me keep this short before it's a waste of my time. If you do anything to hurt Jenna, anything to put her at risk, I will personally castrate you with a dull wooden splinter before plunging it just to the outer edge of your heart so that every breathe you take is a risk of putting you to death, got it?" The words came out fast and articulate, putting emphasis on each word.

"That's incredibly morbid, Lottie." It was a flat response, condescending and unaffected. "I'm proud of you. Anyway, don't get your knickers in a twist. I've got a plan. I always do."

Charlotte was being pushed to the edge, tired of being told to put her faith into people while she remained unable to do a thing. Elijah couldn't be trusted. If that's so, why trust John or Damon? If Elijah couldn't stop it, who could?

Charlotte.

That's who would stop it all, in the end.

"Whatever, Damon. I've gotta go. Jeremy wants me out of the house."

"Little Gilbert's got a date?"

"Irrelevant. Seeya."

She slid her phone into her pocket and shut her laptop computer. She knew what she had to do. And the consequences, she analyzed, were almost nonexistent. She needed information from someone who didn't care about protecting her, who wasn't blinded by the promise of self sacrifice. Someone who didn't care.

None other than Katherine Pierce.

Now, Charlotte wasn't stupid. She knew that Elena saw Katherine and ended up trying to get herself killed. Jeremy got trapped in a tomb. But Charlotte wasn't stupid. She was smart; she knew she was. She wouldn't be manipulated by Katherine. Charlotte was the one who manipulated others.

She had been adorned in sweatpants all day, working on homework and essays, and obviously pajamas aren't the proper attire in which to meet the famous Katherine Pierce. Changing into an army jacket, dark jeans, combat boots, and sliding a stake down her boot in case of emergencies. What else would she need to face Katherine Pierce? Blood. Gross. And it's not like there was any convenient stashes in the house. She cringed and headed down stairs, grabbing a sharp knife and a water bottle and putting them in a book bag of other supplies as she called out to Jeremy that she was heading out. Maybe after this little field trip she'd grab dinner, or go shopping.

She drove to the Lockwood Cellar, which wasn't especially difficult to find with the maps Jenna had left out after giving Elijah his tour. After parking her car, she slit her palm, wincing in pain, and let it drop into the water bottle she emptied out. She didn't fill it up all the way, that would be unsafe, and Katherine having a bit of comfort wasn't worth that. From her bag she placed a bandage on the wound and exited the car. She had packed herself a lantern, which guided her to a section of stairs.

"Who dares awake me from my slumber?"

It was incredible how much she sounded like Elena. Charlotte almost felt the need to run towards her and comfort her as she was trapped.

But she didn't.

Charlotte descended.

"Ah, the Gilbert Twin. Or cousin. I must say, you are the last person whose presence I expected to be graced with." She leaned against a wall, not as weak as Charlotte expected. "Your other siblings have come to visit me as well, and each have ended poorly. Care to test your chances?"

Charlotte simply smirked and tossed her the water bottle. "Peace offering. Anyway, it's not a game of chance; it's of wits. And my siblings are idiots." Charlotte sat down on the ground. "As long as I don't cross the line, you can't hurt me. And I'm not as easily manipulated as one might hope."

She smiled back. "Finally, a challenged. So tell me, Lottie. What have you come here for?"

"Stop acting as if you're the dragon guarding to path to enlightenment, for starters." Charlotte replied. You're a vampire whose been rendered powerless under the confines of a little Original Compulsion." Charlotte snapped back at her, causing her to roll her eyes. "Scratch that, Kat. You're not completely powerless. You have one thing I would greatly appreciate, although you have no reason to grant it to me. Information. The Salvatores are too bent on being the heroes to afford me any."

Charlotte knew how to talk to Katherine. And Katherine knew how to talk to Charlotte. They both picked up the proper rhetoric within an instant. Katherine used flattery, giving Charlotte's ego the boost Katherine needed for manipulation by considering her above the others. Charlotte used apathy, acting uncaring to any besides her family. Loyalty to a family Charlotte didn't want to see slaughtered was something Katherin could understand.

"Naturally, those two always had a righteous disposition. I get it; you want to help your sister. But what's in it for me?" She stumbled to the other half of the room as she took her first drink of the bottle. "This is fresh, isn't it? You cut yourself for little old me?"

Ignoring the latter comment, Charlotte replied. "Other than doing it from the good of your heart?" The question was rhetorical, ironic, but it gave her time to think of a real answer. "Revenge, obviously. The Great Katherine Pierce must earn your revenge. He slaughtered your family, didn't he? And he wants to slaughter you. Now you can either try to appease him or make sure Klaus never gets what he wants most. Make sure that he dies. And you can have a part of it. You can get him back from making you run all these years, for killing your daughter. For preventing you from having the life you deserve. And once he's gone, you're free. Take on a hedonistic lifestyle without the deep seated fear that you so carefully hide."

Katherine almost fell for it. Almost.

"Sorry, Charlotte." She gave her a menacing grin. "There's nothing I can tell you. I've told it all already. You wanna save your sister? Turn her and run for high hell. Even then she won't be free, but you'll make sure that if she ever gets out of it the bloodline won't continue. I guess that'll even make Klaus more angry. But it's a sacrifice worth making, if you ask me."

Charlotte wasn't pleased.

"Yeah, that won't do. Death is the kind of thing I'm trying to avoid," Charlotte remarked as she stood up to lean against the far wall of the cellar. She crossed her arms. "Listen, I've had several deals in front of me. I want to see all the cards. Elijah tried to make a deal with Elena. That fell apart. Charming guy, of course, but apparently his deal is worthless. And then there's John. I mean, he's my uncle. He's brilliant. But he's also a maggot not to be trusted. And then there's Damon, and you know Damon. . ." Charlotte smiled at her. "So it makes me wonder: if you want something done right, do it yourself. So it looks like I'm the one who is going to have to save the day here, you know the feeling? So, Kat, I'm asking you this: any suggestions?"

"Get me out of here and I'll help you," she replied after a long pause.

"Yeah, that's a great plan!" Charlotte's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Yeah, no. I don't think so. I've learned from the mistakes of every other bloody idiot with the idea to trust you. I don't think so."

"I'm growing increasingly impatient with you, Charlotte."

"Please, I couldn't get you out if I wanted to. I really, I don't want to."

Charlotte was growing impatient with Katherine as well. They were at a stalemate, and Charlotte obviously wasn't going to get much from Katherine.

"Because you're trapped in there, aren't you, Katherine?" Charlotte was going to make her pay for not helping. Teach her a lesson. "There's nothing you can do about it."

She pulled the knife out of her bag and slit her hand, walking towards Katherine, leaving it at the very edge.

"This is probably incredibly idiotic, but you can't exactly get out, can you?"

Charlotte saw Katherine's face change as she closed her hand.

"Thanks for nothing, Kathy." As Charlotte turned around, Katherine, full of rage, bloodlust, and hunger, rammed towards her, expecting to be caught in the confines of Elijah's compulsion. However, she passed the border and felt the largest feeling of ecstasy. "My compulsion is gone," she gasped.

Charlotte tried to pull the stake from her boot, but Katherine was too quick, pinning her against the wall. "You really shouldn't have pissed me off."

She bit her then, taking in more blood than she should have, and left her for dead.

Of course, Katherine didn't really want Charlotte dead. She had a bit of respect for her manipulative technique. She knew someone would save her, eventually. Gilberts sort of had a thing for not dying when it was convenient.

* * *

"Hey, Collin, you think you can you point me in Lottie's direction?" The brunet sophomore waltzed up to the tall senior in inquiry.

"Sorry, Jeremy. I don't know where she is."

"I just figured, since she spent the night at your guys' house last night-"

"Charlotte wasn't over yesterday." He replied. "Why, did she tell you she was going to be? Was she not at your house last night?" Collin was suddenly full of worry.

"No, she was probably at Caroline's, then." He covered up, although he knew for a fact it wasn't true. Charlotte was missing, Elena and Stefan were late, and he knew she was in trouble. It was finally her turn to do something dumb, and Jeremy had no doubt it was done the previous night. He could feel it. "Seeya round, man."

Since Elena and Stefan were missing in action, Jeremy went to Bonnie.

"Bonnie, I need your help." He said. "Charlotte's gone."

"There's nothing I can do, Jeremy. Jonas took my powers, remember?" Bonnie asked, and Jeremy nodded. "Besides, how do you know she's gone? She's probably just skipping school today or something. Probably a mental health day. She needs it."

A mental health day wasn't too out of character.

"Alright, I'm gonna call her."

Another period passed and Jeremy tried to call her. Nothing. When he met up with Bonnie, Elena, and Stefan at lunch, they were all talking about how Katherine was out of the cave.

"Guys, we have a more important issue at hand. I can't find Charlotte anywhere."

"Jeremy, I'm sure she's fine."

"No, Elena! When you two went missing we all assumed it was fine, at first. But I know it's not, okay? Something isn't right. And Bonnie can't do a locator spell."

Stefan nodded. "We'll find her. I'm gonna go call Damon, all right? She'll be fine."

Stefan walked away from the table and dialed Damon's number.

"Hello?"

"I have a job for you."

"And what's that?"

"Well, it's less of a job and more of a possibly urgent matter. Charlotte's gone missing. Jeremy can't reach her. I'm worried that when killing Elijah didn't work that he found Charlotte. I don't want to think about that. So go look for her, okay?"

"Fine, it's not like I don't have to babysit Katherine or anything."

Stefan hung up and walked back to the table. "Bonnie, all of this aside, you need your powers back. Talk to Jonas and Luka. Keep me posted."

And then Stefan walked away, ultimately to ditch the rest of the school day to look for Charlotte.

They found her four hours later, abandoned in the Lockwood cellar, blood integrated into the dirt and her hair and her wounds infected. It was Stefan who found her. When he did, he rang up Damon, telling him the search was off and that he'd be home as soon as possible with her. She was barely alive-and when he said barely, he meant it. She was the closest to death he'd ever seen and he was actually scared for her, for Elena. He bit into his wrist and gently fed her the blood, waking her up.

"Stefan? What's happening?"

"Go back to sleep, Charlotte. I've got you."

"Okay." And she drifted back to sleep as he gave her a surplus of blood, hoping to God it would help her.

He put her in the back of her car and drove back to the Boarding House. When he arrived he took her to the guest room and then returned, seeing Damon and Katherine.

"I found her in the tomb. Why do I have a feeling you had something to do with this?" Stefan asked her.

Katherine smiled. "Why ever would I harm the innocent Charlotte?"

Surprisingly, it was Damon who pinned her against the wall as his eyes turned to that of a monster. "Listen here, you bitch. If you did anything to harm a hair on her head, I will-"

"Damon." Stefan pulled him back. "What did you do, Katherine?"

"Why don't you ask Charlotte."

Stefan looked to Damon, and Damon to Stefan. The two ascended the stairs.

"Charlotte," Stefan nudged her shoulder. "You need to wake up, all right? Just for a minute?"

Her eyes opened as she rolled over.

"How're ya feeling, kid?" Damon asked.

"My eyes are groggy."

"Charlotte, what happened?" Stefan asked.

"I'm stupid. I don't want to tell you." Her voice was filled with that of a teenager who had been sleeping for days, childish and broken.

"Lottie, tell us what you did." Damon insisted.

"It was stupid. I made a mistake. I went to talk to Katherine and I got cocky. I deserved it, really."

"Let me guess. I killed Elijah right as you were down there and she attacked you."

"I cut my hand. I was just holding it there. I was trying to, I don't know, make her pay. Because I could. Don't be mad at me."

"You almost died, Charlotte."

"I'm stupid."

Stefan sighed. "Here, you probably need more blood, okay? And then you'll be good as new, and I can take you home."

After he fed her, she shook her head. "Take me to the Harpers. I don't want to go home. I'll call them all, tell them I'm fine."

Stefan nodded and left the room. "I'll go grab you some of Elena's clothes."

Now it was just Damon and Charlotte.

"Don't yell at me." Charlotte's voice was still rich with sleepiness.

"I'm not going to yell at you, kid. It's not the stupidest thing anyone's done. You didn't purposely try and get yourself killed. Just don't do anything stupid again, okay?"

And then he left the room.

When Charlotte finished showering she drove to the Harpers. When she arrived she knocked on the door, exhaustion and desperation evident in her eyes. It was Lucy who answered. As the woman pulled back the door, she caught a glimpse of pure fragility in the girl who had become like another child.

"Charlotte, come in." She said, allowing Lottie to enter. "Mara isn't here right now. It's just me. She and Collin should be home within the hour, though."

Charlotte stopped then, glitching into a more aware state.

"Never mind, then. I'll just go home." She tried to stumble away. "I don't want to bother you."

"Charlotte Gilbert, sit down right now." Lucy ordered in the voice Lottie had only heard used on Collin when he did something idiotic. Lottie couldn't help but comply. "You are like a second daughter to me, and I've seen my way through plenty of Mara's break ups and I know when a teenage girl is on the verge of breaking. Sit down. I'll make you some tea, and you can talk to me about whatever you need. That's an order."

And so Charlotte told her what she could. She admitted that she was unable to relinquish certain truths, a factor respected by Mrs. Harper, but told a tale of stress and anxiety and exhaustion. And she cried. She revealed no details, only saying that the stories we not hers to tell, but her emotions were her stories. They told Lucy that whatever was going on at the Gilbert household was not auspicious for Charlotte, who seemed so strong but was indeed so fragile. Of course she placed little blame on Jenna. She had heard all of the gossip floating around the Counsel about her and John Gilbert and Elena and Alaric. Yes, Lucy was well informed. But she knew there had to be something more happening. Her theory?

Whatever she was going through, she was trying to save face. Keep strong. Be the one everybody could rely on, and for a few reasons. The primary reason was her selflessness, her need to allow everybody else to feel, to be the manic pixie dream girl on which everybody leaves their emotions, putting in feelings like a vending machine, receiving whatever kind words or advice she can offer in return. But the true underlying reason under it all was this: Charlotte saw emotions as weakness. And that's why Lucy had been able to coerce it out of her, because that's what mothers do best. They take what their children think it something to be ashamed of and disintegrate it, leaving only relief.

"Thank you, Mrs. Harper. For everything. Really. I don't know what I would have done for so long without your family." Lottie wiped her tears, sniffling.

"My family will always be there for you, and your siblings as well."

As Charlotte smiled in response, she heard the door open and people shuffle in. Charlotte tried her best to look like she was never crying.

"Mom! We're home! Sorry we're late, Collin had his stupid meeting-Charlotte? What are you doing here?"

"Charlotte was just waiting for you. We were catching up." She gave her kids a pointed look.

"Charlie? What's wrong?" Collin dropped his book bag and came forward, putting his arm around Charlotte's shoulder. He used the nick name only he used.

"Why don't you guys go to the Grille tonight? The band is playing; it would be fun." Lucy suggested, directly targeting Collin and Mara. Both children understood.

"Yeah. That'll be totally fun. Lottie, we've needed a night out for a while. And Collin would be a decent amount of fun too, I guess." She joked, making Charlotte smile.

"Yeah, sure, Mara. I'm the one that'll bring your good time down. I've had more fun in the past week than you've had in all seventeen of your years."

"Is that a challenge, Harper?" Mara questioned, getting into Collin's face.

"You can't just call me Harper-we share the last name, Mars." He rubbed her head condescendingly. "I'll see you two ladies in an hour. Look like babes, and be ready to party."

And so the ladies and the gentleman parted ways. In an hour they reconvened, Mara's long, blonde hair curled and falling on her bright, red sheer top and black high wasted shorts. Charlotte stood there in her fragility, adorned in make up and some of her own clothes, which Mara had stolen long ago. All black, she wore, but in a suave way, as opposed to a rebellious, try too hard way. And then Collin breezed down the grand staircase, effortlessly wearing dark jeans, a button up, and a cardigan.

"Ready, ladies? I'm driving." He put his arms out, and both Mara and Lottie took them.

"Lottie gets shot gun."

"Score." Charlotte whispered.

A few moments later the three arrived at the Grille, packed with cars already. The trio sauntered in as if they were in some action movie, whipping off the sunglasses nobody even needed.

Life was good.

And then they saw Caroline on stage.

"Oh, no. What in the world is she doing?" Mara put her head down, clearly experiencing secondhand embarrassment.

"It appears as though she's making a grand romantic gesture. Good for her. And she's good, too." Charlotte nodded in approval. "Thoughts, Collin?"

"It appears as though it is working." His theory was confirmed with Matt walking onstage and ending the song with a kiss for Caroline.

"Drinks, anyone?"

* * *

And all was well. For a while. Until Charlotte's eyes wandered and found Jonas Martin with an angry look upon his face. And angry witch was the last thing she wanted to deal with. She spit a bit of her sprite back into her glass in shock.

"You two need to leave. Right now." Charlotte warned her friend. "Something bad is about to happen. I can tell. Leave." She was being aggressive, each word meaningful.

"Charlie, what are you talking about?" Chase asked.

"Come on. Let's go."

Her friends reluctantly followed her out of the grill urgently until all of the lights broke.

"I think we're too late. Okay. You two get out now." Charlotte tried to insist that she stay as Collin and Mara left, but it was to no avail. Then she saw her sister. "My sister is in trouble! Please!" She was begging them, but Collin was wise. As more chaos persisted, he picked her up and carried her to his car, locking the doors.

"I don't know what the hell is going on in there, but there is no way we are leaving you there, Charlotte.

That was all he said.

When they arrived back at the Harper's household, Charlotte went straight to her car.

"Thanks for tonight, I guess. I'll catch you later, but I really need to get home."

Except her night wasn't over when she got home.

* * *

"I can't believe he's dead. After what we did to him."

"Who's dead?" Charlotte walked into the room, heals clacking, and tossed her purse down. Her exhaustion had turned into apathy.

"Luka. And Jonas attacked the Grille-"

"I know." Charlotte huffed, taking a seat at the counter. "I was there. Luka's dead?"

"Yeah. That's why Jonas was pissed. I just felt so bad-I couldn't do anything!" Bonnie was still mourning the loss of her powers.

"Join the club. Not only have I always been magic-less, but Collin literally carried me out of there as soon as the light went out."

"Remind me to give Collin a gift basket," Jeremy told Bonnie.

"Screw you," Charlotte replied.

And then Stefan and Elena walked in the room.

"Thank God." Bonnie sighed.

"It's not over yet."

"What do you mean, Elena?" Charlotte asked.

"He'll explain." She nodded to Stefan before she went upstairs.

"How long ago did you guys get home?" He asked us all.

Bonnie answered. "A few minutes ago."

"Did you check the house?"

"Why would we check the house?" Jeremy asked as Charlotte got a very bad feeling.

Stefan sighed. "Follow me."

Everyone jogged up the stairs to find Jonas dead.

Katherine. Why didn't she guess?

"Your welcome."

"You didn't have to kill him!" Bonnie protested.

"Yes, we did." Then Katherine turned to Charlotte. "Nice seeing you again." She threw a smile that made Lottie shudder.

"Ugh." Charlotte walked downstairs, where Damon and the real Elena were.

"I don't care how or why this all went down. I need to go to bed. If anybody even thinks about waking me up tomorrow, for any reason, you will find everything in your room angled five degrees to the left so that you are forever disoriented. Good night."

She tried to sleep, but she ended up returning downstairs to join Elena and eating ice cream. "Wonderful plan, guys."

And then the doorbell rang.

"I got it!" Charlotte mostly wanted to moderate who entered the house. She opened the door to find a beautiful dark haired woman.

"You must be Charlotte."

Elena and Jenna joined her.

"I'm Isobel. Elena's mother."


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm happy for you," Charlotte remarked with a worried, snarky attitude as she attempted to slam the door. Unfortunately, Jenna stopped her, pushing her out of the way and opening the door. Her heart started to race with an anxiety, an issue that she'd had chronically and that had been acting up since all of the supernatural business had started to go down. But now she was worried about Jenna.

"Hello, Elena. It's nice to see you again."

Again? Charlotte never knew that Elena had met her mother.

And then Isobel looked at Jenna. "So you're the woman that's dating my husband. I need to speak with Elena. May I come in?"

"No way in hell. All you're going to do is stir up trouble. You walked out of Elena's life years ago; I suggest you do the same now," Charlotte remarked from the back.

"I need to talk to you, Elena." She looked into her eyes with a manipulative, pleading expression.

"No!" She slammed the door to find a crying Jenna.

"You knew she was alive, Elena? Alaric, John, did they know?" She sobbed, yelling at Elena. "What about you, Charlotte. Is this something else you were aware of before me?"

"I had no idea, Jenna." Charlotte put her hands up in surrender.

"I can explain everything, Jenna," Elena insisted.

"No."

"Jenna, please!" Elena begged.

But Jenna ran upstairs, Elena shouting and chasing after her.

Lottie sighed and pulled out her cell phone, scrolling to find Stefan's number. "Charlotte? What's up?"

"One more problem after another. We just received a friendly visit from Isobel. You might want to get over here. Jenna is in hysterics and Elena is trying to do everything she can to fix it, but it isn't exactly working."

"Right, I'll be over soon. We'll call Ric and take care of it. Nobody let her in, right?"

"Hell no."

"Good. Thanks, Charlotte."

So anyway, the next morning was, for lack of a better word, a clusterfuck. Alaric showed up, Jenna got into hysterics again and actually life. And Charlotte was just standing there, too ignorant to do anything. Sure, she was a little pissed, but not as much as Jenna. Not that she didn't have a right to be. And here Charlotte finds out that Matt is out in about knowing that Caroline is a vampire. To top it all off, just when it looked like things couldn't get worse, Lottie walked down to find Isobel in her house. Elena and Stefan were down there as well, dealing with the same unfortunate development.

"John!" Charlotte shouted at him. "I loathe you. Have fun dealing with the consequences of this, because there will be some. I swear it." She swore at him. "Why in God's name did you invite her in?" It only could have been John. Elena sure as hell wouldn't have.

"She has information, Charlotte!" John insisted.

"I don't care what she has! She hurt several people that mean the most to me-so screw you. This could have been handled much better, and you know it. So help me I'll change the deed to this God Forsaken house," she mumbled to herself as she shuffled around for her keys and bags. "John, just a basic etiquette tip-you know you've stayed your welcome when actual inhabitants start leaving. I'm taking a page from Jenna's book. Don't expect to see me around anytime soon."

So while she was in her car, she did what she always did when she was pissed at John Gilbert. She called Damon.

"Damon Salvatore! My favorite person right now. Please tell me that you are on some sort of expedition I can join!"

"Luckily for you, Gilbert, I am. Meet me and Bonnie and your brother at Jonas's apartment. I'm sending you the address now." Damon had finally just accepted her companionship on such adventures.

She drove to the apartment that Bonnie, Jeremy, and Damon were standing outside of.

"Lock and load." She said as she slipped her keys into her pocket. The quartet entered the apartment, Damon walking right through the door.

"Yep. Everyone's dead." Is assumption was confirmed by the Doctor's corpse on the living room floor. Charlotte was still not completely comfortable with _dead bodies._

"We should pack up the grimoires. They spent years collecting them. I wanna make sure they're safe." Bonnie looked around as Charlotte tried to mask her horror.

"We could just grab another match and cremate him." Damon joked, earning scolding slap on the shoulder from Lottie and retort from Bonnie.

"Don't be disrespectful. Not to him."

"So what are we looking for, exactly?" Jeremy asked.

"According to Luka's dad, one of these contains a spell that'll let me harness the energy that's left behind when a witch dies violently."

"I didn't know you were so close," Damon had no idea of respect, did he?

"We weren't but when he gave me my powers back, he gave me a message. If I can find the spot in town, where the old Salem witches were burned, I can harness their energy to use when I need it."

"Great," Damon sighed, "We'll have to put that on our list of things to do today. Harness ancient dead-witch power."

"Do you know where the witches are?" Charlotte asked Damon.

"Did I forget to mention that?" He grinned as Jeremy went through one of the books.

"Are we gonna have to read through every one of these books till we find the right spell?" Jeremy groaned. Charlotte was sure that searching every book was the last thing he wanted to do. Luckily, Bonnie performed a spell to find the correct book and enchantment, and everybody grabbed the books and left.

Later in the day, after Damon had a chat with Elena and Stefan, they went to an old, abandoned house.

"Is this where Emily Bennet was killed, too?" Jeremy asked. Questions of the dead made Charlotte very uncomfortable. She found such reverence in people passed, and loathed the idea of disrespecting them.

"Founders thought it was poetic burning her where the other witches burned," Damon remarked in response.

Charlotte wondered, "How do you know where the witches were burned?"

"'Cause I tried to save her. Emily was just my key to getting Katherine back before I knew what a nasty little bitch Katherine was." It earned a laugh from Jeremy, at least.

They stopped in front of the door.

"You sure this is it?"

Damon nodded and they entered. They all walked around for a bit until suddenly, Damon was unable to move. "Whatever witchy prank you're pulling, cut it out."

"I'm not doing anything."

"I can't move." HIs words triggered the burning of his skin.

"My ring isn't working! Do something!"

Bonnie closes her eyes, trying to complete a spell.

"They don't want you here."

"I guess this is the place," Jeremy remarked.

"I guess you're keeping watch then, Damon." Charlotte murmured then looked at Jeremy and Bonnie. "You know, I don't want to play third wheel to my little brother. I'll wait with you." She and Damon left the house.

The two wait with a bit of light conversation until Damon gets impatient. "Can you two hurry it up in there?"

However, the door closed.

"Screw you, too, Emily! You two are on your own! We're out of here!" He turned to Charlotte. "Leave your car for Jeremy. Let's go."

Charlotte placed her keys on the front step and followed Damon out.

Charlotte had been in the Salvatore library, patiently reading, as Damon returned from a task to which he'd been called. John had somehow managed to get himself killed at the Lockwoods, at an event Charlotte had zero desire to attend. Damon allowed Charlotte to stay and wait for her. When she heard the door she moved from her spot in the Library, reading an age old book on Greek Mythology, to the living room, where Damon had dumped John's dead body.

"He's not actually dead, right? He's got one of those Gilbert rings, yeah?"

"Yeah." He groaned. "Although it wouldn't be too much of a loss. I'll be back. Gotta wash up."

Only minutes later Charlotte heard the crashing of a bowl from the bathroom.

"Let's go." He commanded when he returned. "You got a vendetta against Isobel? Because I sure as hell do. Get ready for your first real adventure."

She followed without question as he drove to an old foreclosed house where they met Stefan.

"Think this is the house?" Stefan asked.

"It better be. It's the nicest foreclosure in town," answered Damon.

"I swear, if it's not-"

"Don't be such a pessimist. Come along, ladies." Damon motioned for them to enter.

"Is now the time to ask what's going on?"

"Not quite," replied Stefan. "I got upstairs."

Damon and Charlotte looked around the rest of the house until they found luggage, only luggage. "Stefan!"

He rejoined them. "This is definitely her stuff. Where are they?"

"Not here."

Damon finally explained to Charlotte the situation, that Elena had sort of been kidnapped by Isobel, but her anxiety was short termed, as he soon received a phone call ensuring her safety. They returned to the house, one the Elena had returned to as well in a matter of minutes, holding a necklace that belonged to her mother. Then Damon, aroused by the excitement and hell bent on Elena's safety, formulated a plan, dropping a paper on Elena's lap.

"What's this?"

"It's the deed to our house. It's in Zach's name. As soon as you sign it, it'll be in your name," explained Stefan.

"You're giving me your house?"

"Isobel had the right idea with the safe house. You'll just stay here till it's all over. That way, you can control who gets invited and who doesn't."

"Although I'd be super pissed if you locked me out," remarked Damon.

Like clockwork, John woke up. Damon rushed towards him and grabbed his shirt. "I swear I had no idea what she was gonna do. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Let him go." Elena decided.

Anyway, Elena had a heart to heart, Stefan and Damon talked strategy, and Charlotte just kind of stood there. As usual. Another normal day for Lottie Gilbert, she supposed.

* * *

School was back in session, thank the Lord, because it was the only thing that remained constant. She had Mara at her side in History, a class for which they would later compare notes so that they can take the AP exam-curse the school for not providing AP History.

Alaric arrived late-which wasn't too unusual since he'd been having some turmoil with Jenna, but then things sort of started getting weirder.

"Hello, class. What are we learning today?"

It was like he was s substitute teacher, but _not._

"The sixties. We've got the decade dance tonight." Mara filled in for him.

"Right. The sixties." And then he gave this very long, strange look at Elena.

Then he started writing sweet nothings on the board.

"The sixties. I wish there was something good I could say about the sixties, but... Actually, they kind of sucked. Except for the Beatles, of course. They made it bearable. Uh, what else was there? The Cuban missile thing, the... we walked on the moon. There was Watergate."

"Seventies, Mr. Saltzman!"

"Right. They sort of all just blur together."

All right, now Charlotte was getting pissed. She and Mara were the only ones in the class who gave a damn what they were learning, and she understood that Ric had had a hard time, but it was affecting his job, and his students.

It was almost like we was drunk-

Oh.

He had been drinking.

Charlotte knew he was sober enough, but now?

He continued to teach hardly anything with low drawls and odd mannerisms. When class finally finished, Lottie waved Mara off and approached him.

"Ric, you all right?" She started slow.

"Of course. . ." He looked to the left, as if trying to remember, "Charlotte! Yes, everything is fine."

"You've been drinking." It was blunt. "Look, I get alcoholism is a problem, but this was unacceptable. If you want a chance back with Jenna again, drinking is probably not the best solution. It's your fault, remember. So get your act together Ric, because now it's starting to affect me."

Luckily, the rest of the day went by with ease, and that night was the decade dance. Charlotte had gone straight home to Mara's to get ready, and luckily she missed a ton of supernatural drama that she heard about later.

Charlotte's outfit was simple-she hated the fashion of the sixties. It was gaudy, in her opinion. It was a pastel pink dress, long sleeve, square fit. And a matching headband. That was all. She added a pair of pearls, but that was it.

Mara, on the other hand, looked marvelous, in a bright orange dress her grandmother had owned, hair curled to perfection. Mara scored a point on Charlotte, that was for sure. The two found their dates-Charlotte with Collin and Mara with Chase Fell, and went to the dance.

* * *

Charlotte had to admit-she was having one hell of a time.

Collin was just, in short, a really fun guy to be around. Pair that with the fact that he was super cute and incredibly smart, from her favorite family in the world, and he was her perfect man. She wasn't sure if he saw her that way, though.

And all was well until, as usual, something had to go and spoil Charlotte's night.

"This is a song for Elena. From Klaus."

Collin looked to Charlotte. "Why is some Klaus kid dedicating a song to your sister?"

"Because he's an ass. Please forgive me. I need to talk to my sister."

She hated leaving Collin, but duty called. "I give you a free pass to dance with another girl."

She spotted Damon.

"Is Klaus here?"

"No. I don't think so. Even if he is, it's not your problem. It's a dance. Blend. Be my partner?"

"I have a date."

"Who?" He asked, and Charlotte pointed. "Tall kid with the glasses."

"He's all right, I guess." Damon shrugged.

"He's a babe."

"There's Ric." He pointed at Alaric. "Let's go."

Charlotte didn't exactly want to face him again, but if it mean getting to the bottom of things, so be it.

"Special dedication. They guys twisted, right?" Ric leaned against the wall.

"I'm not impressed." Damon replied.

"I am. He managed to ruin my night in a few words." Charlotte rolled her eyes.

Damon shook his head. "Let me know if you see anything weird." And Damon walked away, just leaving Charlotte with Ric. She just shrugged and walked back to her date, deciding that acting natural was the only solution. However she knew her heart was racing.

And she danced, until she saw a ruckus of argument with everyone on the Kill-Klaus-Committee and once more had to excuse herself.

"What in God's name is going on over here?"

"Bonnie is trying to kill herself." Elena insisted.

"No-"

"She said that killing Klaus tonight might drain her-"

And then they argued, causing Lottie to grow more and more uncomfortable until she decided it was time for her just to leave.

She went to the bathroom, splashed water on her face, and thought one thing.

She had to get out.

Her hands were shaking, heart racing, palms sweating. She needed out.

She walked the halls, which were slowly closing in on her. She was drowning. She might not have been in the water, but the oxygen was poisoning her. She knew it. She had no choice but to lean up against the wall of the hall and slide down, trying her best to breathe.

She needed out she needed out she needed out.

She was alone until she heard footsteps coming towards her. "Charlotte!"

They leaned next to her. "Charlotte. What's wrong?"

"I need to get out of here. I'm drowning."

"You're having a panic attack. Okay. Concentrate on me. Concentrate on my voice. What's one times two?"

"Two."

"Two times three?"

"Six."

"Six times seven."

"I can't breathe."

"Yes you can. Breathe. You're okay."

Suddenly her heart rate decreased and she could breathe, and she looked up to find Alaric by her side.

"You all right?"

She nodded.

"Okay. Bad news. Klaus has Jeremy?"

"_What?"_

"Yeah."

"Klaus has Jeremy and you are wasting your time here? Let's get the hell to him, then!" Charlotte stumbled up. "Where's Elena? Bonnie?"

"I was just on my way to fetch them. Come on."

And they did find them. So Alaric then lead them to where Klaus had Jeremy. But something wasn't exactly _right. _Charlotte could sense it.

"Where's Jeremy?"

And then Alaric _laughed._

"I just had to get away from that dance. The sixties, ugh. Not my decade."

What the hell was he talking about?

"I mean, whose call was that, anyway? I much prefer the twenties. The style, the parties, the jazz."

"Are you on Vervain?" asked Elena.

"Now, Elena, why would you ask that?"

"He's being compelled," She told me and Bonnie.

"No." Charlotte shook her head, deducing the situation in front of her. "That doesn't make sense. Ric would never be off vervain, and if he were, his words don't coincide with the priorities of someone being compelled. Something is off. Very off." She whispered, as if it made a difference.

"Very clever, Charlotte."

"What's going on?" Elena asked.

"I'll give you a hint. I'm not Alaric."

"Klaus," Elena breathed out.

"Surprise."

"No. It's not possible-you can't be-"

"Relax, Elena. You're not on my hit list tonight." He saw Elena stand protectively in front of Charlotte, instinctually, and rolled his eyes. "Neither is your pathetic sister. You, on the other hand," He looked at Bonnie.

Bonnie used her powers and threw him against a wall, which only caused him to laugh. Charlotte pushed Elena back and held her there, making sure she didn't get hurt.

"Did I mention I knew a witch? You're going to have to try much harder than that."

He rushed towards Bonnie, but she threw him at a display case.

"By all means, fire away!" He mocked her as he stood up. She tried another move, but he only continued to laugh. "If you kill this body, I'll just get a new one. Maybe Jeremy?"

"Don't you dare." Charlotte tried to move towards him, to pull out the stake from her high, white boot, but Elena held her back and Bonnie rushed towards them.

"Go! Run! Run!" The trio escaped, Bonnie closing the doors with her powers. Damon joined them.

"What's going on?"

"Ric's not Ric. Klaus is Ric." Charlotte hyperventilated.

"He's possessing Alaric or something," Bonnie tried to explain. Damon sighed and looked at Elena.

"Go find Stefan. Now."

"But-"

"Now."

She ran off. Charlotte and Damon looked at Bonnie.

"Can you kill him?" Charlotte asked.

"He's got some kind of protection spell on him."

"You have the power of a hundred witches. Break it," begged Damon.

"I'm trying! If I kill Alaric, he'll just possess someone else. He knows I have my power, Damon. He's trying to kill me."

"No. Klaus does not get to win tonight, no way. You still willing to do whatever it takes to kill him?"

* * *

Charlotte was sitting with Jeremy, trying to distract him from the goings on inside. Charlotte was in on the entire thing- a plan only she, Damon, and Bonnie knew about. Bonnie was going to die, inevitably. Whether it was real or not. Klaus, no matter what, had to believe she was dead. And that meant everyone had to believe she was dead.

She looked at her phone. It was almost time. Jeremy was searching left and right for everyone, Charlotte purposely leading him astray. But it was time now. She led him to Damon's car, suddenly having an epiphany of where they might be.

It hurt her to lie to Jeremy, but she was glad that Bonnie's death was a lie, as opposed to a reality.

"Damon! Hey, I got your message, I can't find anyone. Where's Elena, where's Bonnie?"

"We need to have a little talk."

So Jeremy was to awaken Bonnie, at the abandoned house. Charlotte was to go with Damon to talk to Elena. Everything was in play. When they arrived at the Salvatore house, Elena was less than happy to see Damon.

"What did you do with her?" SHe shouted at Damon, crying hysterically. Charlotte could barely see her sister like that.

"Will you calm her down?" Damon condescendingly looked to Stefan. He earned a harsh look from Charlotte, not that it mattered.

"Don't talk like I'm not standing right in front of you."

"Elena, please listen. Please calm down." Charlotte begged her sister.

She directed her anger to Damon. "You knew! Didn't you? You knew that if she harnessed all that power, that she would die, didn't you?"

"Yes. I knew."

And she slapped him. Charlotte gasped, worried for her hand.

"You need to listen to me, and prepare for what I'm about to say. Bonnie had to die. Klaus using Alaric's body was a total surprise. She wasn't prepared for that. And he wasn't going to stop, and we weren't going to be able to stop him until he knew she was dead. He had to believe it."

"She cast a spell, Elena. Bonnie's okay." Charlotte whispered.

A few heart to hearts happened, then. Not Charlotte's specialty. Stefan and Damon talked. Elena talked to Bonnie via webcam. All the while, Charlotte wandered down to the cellar to stare at Elijah's body. Rather morbid, sure. But it allowed her to reflect on what her life had become. She had expected to be alone in her morbidity, but she was soon joined. By Elena.

"Charlotte? What are you doing down here?"

Charlotte looked to her sister. "Your surprise to see me allows me to believe you didn't come here to talk to me. Which means. . ." Her eyes lead to Elijah.

Elena sighed, trying to formulate a lie, but submitted to Charlotte, telling her the truth. "I'm going to wake him up."

Charlotte said nothing, pondering the idea.

"You trust him?"

Elena nodded.

"Fine. I trust you."

Charlotte opened the door, waltzed in, and ripped the dagger from Elijah's heart.

"Shall we wait?"

Elena stared at her in shock.

"I was so not expecting this to be so easy."

Charlotte shrugged and leaned against the wall, sitting down. Elena sat cross legged next to Elijah.

"I've been thinking, Elena."

"That's never a good sign when coming from a Gilbert."

Charlotte laughed.

"Who are the two smartest people we know?"

"You and. . .Stefan?"

"No."

"Stefan and Elijah?"

"Try again."

"Elijah and Katherine?"

"No, Elena. You and me. We are the power twins, and you know it." Charlotte grinned amidst her exhaustion. "If anyone can save your life, stop Klaus, it's us. What do you say we take things into our own hands? It's your life, Elena. You should be the one to save it. You don't need your vampire white nights to do it for you."

Elena nodded. "I like that idea. You and me. Gilbert power duo."

They formulated the skeleton of a plan together, and then Charlotte groaned. "Okay. I have to get out of these clothes. You've got to have some of my clothes around here, right? Half the time you spend the night after stealing my clothes."

Elena nodded with a grin. "Go ask Stefan where my stash is."

And she did, returning to the cellar. After what seemed like a century, Elijah woke up, causing both Elena and Charlotte to jump in shock.

"Elijah," Elena whispered.

"Katerina."

"No, Elijah. It's me. Katherine."

"Oh, My God."

He closed his eyes, obvious delirious and in pain. He starts to spasm.

"I can't breathe."

Charlotte pushed Elena out of the way, getting closer to Elijah.

"Elijah? Talk to me."

"What's happening to me?"

He tries to rush towards the door, but crashes into a wall.

"I can't be in this house." He stammered.

"You're not invited in."

"So get me out of here!"

He crashes into a wall, but then disappeared. Charlotte nodded at Elena and they sprinted upstairs. Elijah was standing at the front door.

"What happened?" He demanded.

Charlotte immediately hushed him as Elena motioned that Damon and Stefan could very well hear.

"We'll tell you. But not here. Can we trust you?"

Charlotte felt good when she heard Elena use the word 'we.' She liked this plan already.

Elijah leaned closer and whispered.

"Can I trust you?"

* * *

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

The twins got out and slammed their doors simultaneously. Elijah appeared, drinking blood from a blood bag. Classy, Charlotte thought sarcastically, although she didn't show it.

"You look better." Elena remarked. Charlotte smirked a bit at how Elena didn't even realize when she was being snarky. Ah, the Gilbert sass.

"Where did you get the dagger?" Elijah was demanding as ever.

"I'll tell you everything. But we have to work together, Elijah. I need your word."

Charlotte crossed her arms, remaining silent, and allowed Elena to handle the negotiation. That was her territory.

"Your ability to make demands has long passed." He said it as if he'd been so betrayed, as if he hadn't betrayed anyone. Charlotte was still livid.

"No demands. I'm offering you our help. And in return, we want yours."

Then Elijah acknowledged Charlotte for the first time, only to look between her an Elena, analyzing his options. He looked right into Charlotte's eyes.

"And why should I even consider this?"

Charlotte smiled. "Because there's a new team in the game. Me and Elena. You need her help to kill Klaus, and we need you."

Then Elena's phone rang. It was Stefan. Charlotte watched her impatiently as Elijah watched her warningly.

They exchanged the usual words, none of which was of interest to Charlotte, until her last words.

"I'm not doing anything alone, Stefan. I've got my sister on my side. We're going to take care of this together."

And then she hung up. Elijah put his hand out. Elena gave him her phone and he pocketed it. Before they could continue, Charlotte received a call as well. Impatiently, she answered it.

"Listen, Stefan. We've tried it your way. It's not working. Elena and I are going to do things our way, now. Like it or not. I'd love to keep talking, but I've got some increasingly significant priorities." And then she hung up, tossing the phone to Elijah, who caught it and slid it in his pocket. "So, shall we begin?"

Elena nodded.

"He's here."

"Klaus is here?"

"He's taken over Alaric's body," Charlotte explained, disgusted at Klaus as a whole, furious, even.

"Of course he has. It's is favorite trick." The casualty of it made Charlotte sick.

"Well, what are his other tricks? What is he going to do next? You're the only one who knows him," Elena insisted.

"Yes, I do."

And then the group took an unexpected field trip, to the Lockwoods.

"Charlotte, Elijah, Elena! What are you doing here? What happened?" Carol was the one who opened the door.

"I've had a bit of an incident, Carol. I'm hoping you could help."

"Well, I was on my way to a meeting-"

Before she could finish, Elijah compeled her. "It'll only take a minute of your time."

She nodded. "Of course. Anything you need."

So they entered.

"First thing is first. I'm going to need a change of clothing."

"Well, we can try one of my husband's suits. I haven't boxed them up yet."

"Wonderful, Thank You," he told her as she went upstairs.

"She's not on vervain anymore. How did you know?" Charlotte asked him.

"Because I'm the one who got her off it. Right before your friends killed me. Twice." He looked at the stairs. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be down in a moment."

As he went up the stairs, Charlotte gave Elena a look. It told her a few things: one, that everything was okay, two, that she was full of impatience and disdain for Elijah, and three, that she was exhausted.

When he returned, Elijah, Charlotte, and Elena took a seat in the parlor.

"So I assume the Martin witches are no more?"

"No, I'm sorry." Elena's answer relayed sympathy and fear. Charlotte took this into account, sure to answer his next inquiry with more confidence.

"And Katerina?"

Ah, Elijah cared about Katherine. Why else would he ask?

"She would have been released from my compulsion when I died."

"Nobody as seen or heard from her," Charlotte answered. "Klaus took her, presumably. She could very well be dead."

"I doubt that. It's not exactly Klaus's style. Death would be too easy for her."

Charlotte analyzed his voice. It was lacking the confidence it usually held. It was quiet, unsure, doubtful.

"I don't understand. You say that you want Klaus dead, but you still made Katherine pay for betraying him." Elena was confused.

"I have my own reasons for wanting Katerina to pay. There was a time... I'd have done anything for Klaus."

And then he told us a story of one of his first interactions with Katerina, his anecdote ending with the revelation to Elena that Klaus was, in fact, his brother. A fact Charlotte assumed was basic knowledge.

"Yes, Klaus is my brother."

"Yeah, I heard that. I'm just still. . ." Elena trailed off, "processing."

"Yes, I'm a little behind on the times, but I believe the term you're searching for is 'OMG.'"

This only caused Charlotte to roll her eyes as Elijah took a drink of his tea.

"So word is that there is an entire family of Originals." Charlotte put the topic on the table as she crossed her legs.

Elijah sighed, stood up, and loked in the mirror. Yes, the position of your collar is of the utmost importance, presently. It seemed as though every individual thing he did drove Charlotte on edge. "My father was a wealthy land owner in a village in Eastern Europe. Our mother bore seven children."

"And your parents were human," Charlotte continued. Both she and Elena stood up, subconsciously trying to level the playing field.

"Our whole family was. Our origin as vampires is a very long story, Charlotte. Just know...We're the oldest vampires in the world. We are the Original family, and from us all vampires were created."

"Right, but Klaus is your brother. And you want him dead?" Elena asked. Charlotte had already covered this topic with him at an earlier encounter.

The question obviously made him uncomfortable. "I need some air. I'm still feeling a tad... dead. Come." He motioned for Charlotte and Elena to follow him as they left the room. Again, he managed to completely annoy Charlotte.

Her problem was that, in her head, she was the master of the game. She was calling the shots. This was her plan and Elena's plan, yet Elijah was behaving as if it were he who was in charge. Her control issues, and the feeling of betrayal she still felt, haunted her through the entire encounter. As they walked down the grand staircase of the mansion, Elijah began to speak again.

"So as you've seen, nothing can kill an Original. Not Sun, not fire, not even a werewolf bite. Only the wood from one tree. A tree my family made sure burned."

"That's where the white ash for the dagger comes from," Elena deduced.

"Yes. The witches won't allow anything truly immortal to walk the earth. Every creature needs to have a weakness in order to maintain the balance." They stopped walking when the reached Elena's car.

"So the Sun can't kill an Original. Why is Klaus so obsessed with breaking the Sun and Moon curse?" Elena asked the question, and it caused Elijah to give sort of a condescending grin.

"Right. The curse of the Sun and the Moon. It's all so... Biblical-sounding, don't you think?" He began to laugh, frustrating Charlotte even more.

"Why is that so funny?"

But she had her theories.

And then Elijah drawled another anecdote, revealing information he very well could have just told the pair.

"So Klaus drew the Aztec scrolls about the curse."

"Roman scrolls, African tribal etchings, and any other culture or continent we felt like planting in it."

"Yes, but why?" Charlotte asked.

"Easiest way to discover the existence of a doppelgänger or to get your hands on some long, lost moon stone is to have every single member of two warring species on the lookout."

"So it's not Aztec at all?" Elena asked.

"No." Charlotte shook her head. "Of course not. It's fake."

"In don't understand," said Elena.

"The sun and the moon curse, as Charlotte to cleverly guessed, does not exist." He confirmed her suspicions.

"What?"

"Klaus and I faked the Sun and Moon curse dating back over a thousand years."

"But if there's no curse. . ."

Elijah interrupted Elena. "There's a curse. Just not that one. The real one's much worse. It's a curse placed on Klaus."

"Stop being so cryptic. Just tell us." Charlotte was growing exceedingly impatient.

"Klaus has been trying to break it for the last thousand years. And Elena is his only hope."

And then Elena's phone began buzzing in Elijah's pocket. "What's the curse?" she asked.

But in continued buzzing. Elijah pulled it out.

"Your phone will not stop its incessant buzzing. Answer it, please." He gave it to Elena, who answered it.

"Stefan… what's wrong? No. No, no, no, no. Ok, I'll be right there." As she talked, Charlotte's heart began racing, faster and faster, in fear. Something was wrong. Her anxiety was growing. Elena hung up the phone and looked at Elijah. "Klaus went after Jenna."

"Elena, let's go." Charlotte commanded.

"I'm afraid that wasn't part of today's arrangement."

If Elijah actually thought he would stop Charlotte and Elena from going to Jenna, who was nearly attacked by his brother, he was horribly wrong.

"I don't care about your god forsaken arrangement!" Charlotte snapped, no longer holding out on courtesy. "Jenna is our family, who Klaus, your brother, mind you, went after!"

Elena gave her a disapproving look and tried to appease Elijah.

"She's our family, Elijah. We have to. We'll be back. You have my word." She tried to smooth things over and make up for Charlotte's hostility.

"That doesn't mean anything to me until you live up to it." Yet somehow, this was his permission.

"Thank you." Elena whispered as Charlotte got in the car, urging Elena to speed hom as quickly as possible.

The pair drove to the Salvatore house, where Jenna was sitting on the couch, crying. Charlotte could barely take it. She wasn't good with emotions, per say, but she did feel things stronger than anybody else. And it hurt her to see Jenna like this. It hurt her so, so much. She couldn't help but collapse on the couch next to her and cry as well as Elena tried to explain things to her. She tried and tried, as did Charlotte, but it could only work so much.

Charlotte wiped her tears and walked with Elena to Stefan.

"Is she gonna be okay?"

"She's in shock. I tried to tell her as much as I could, but I barely scratched the surface," explained Elena.

"I'm so sorry, guys. I hate this." Stefan's voice was full of regret.

"It's not your fault, Stefan. It's mine. Anyway... we have to go back to Elijah."

Stefan was not expecting that. "Wait, what? No, no!"

"Stefan, I promised him that Charlotte and I would return. We have to."

"He's not the kind of guy you want to stand up." Charlotte said, still recovering from the tears she'd just shed.

"Okay." He nodded.

"I'll be fine." Elena assured him. Charlotte and Elena walked to the front door, Stefan trailing behind them, when Damon and Andie walked in.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to Elijah," Elena answered. With this response, Damon appeared before her.

"No."

"That's not your decision anymore, Damon." Charlotte told him.

"Get out of my way, Damon." Elena tried to move past him, but he caught her arm.

"If you so much as try and take a step out of this house..." His voice had the threatening tone of a possessive, toxic, boyfriend. It was not a tone Charlotte could accept. It enraged her.

"Damon, take it easy." Andie tried to pacify him, bless her heart, but it didn't work.

"Stay out of this!" He yelled at her.

His grip tightened on Elena, enraging Lottie. She stepped forward.

"Get your hands off of my sister. Now." She thought she was assertive, convincing, authoritative, but her words were nothing. His other hand gripped Charlotte's arm as well. "Now get your hands off of me." Her words were slow, commanding.

"Face it, Charlotte. You aren't going anywhere, either. Neither of you are leaving this house."

"That isn't your decision, Damon!" Charlotte shouted at him, grabbing the stake from her boot. He simply grabbed it in a flash and tossed it away, rolling his eyes and then tightening his grip to the point where she felt actually afraid. That was when Stefan stepped in.

"Let them go."

"No! We just got Elena back-"

He rushed towards them, gripping Damon threateningly.

"Let them go."

Damon looked at him with eyes of malice and begrudgingly let the twins go. "That's twice today you've stood in my way. I wouldn't try a third."

And then he walked away, leaving Charlotte full of rage and fear.

* * *

"Welcome back." Elijah greeted Elena and Charlotte on their return as he took a sip from his glass of wine. Elena was now in the same mood as Charlotte, exhausted and ready for business.

"Tell me." She demanded, taking off her coat. She dropped it dramatically on the table. "What's Klaus's curse?"

"Please. . ." He motioned for the girls to sit. They complied as Elijah took a seat as well, uncomfortable close to Charlotte and Elena both.

"My family was quite close, but Klaus and my father did not get on too well. When we became vampires, we discovered the truth. Klaus was not my father's son. My mother had been unfaithful many years before. This was her darkest secret. Klaus is from a different bloodline. Of course, when my father discovered this, he hunted down and he killed my mother's lover and his entire family. Not realizing, of course, that he was igniting a war between species that rages until this day."

"A war between the species?"

"The vampires and the werewolves."

"So Klaus' real father was from a werewolf bloodline? What does that make Klaus? A werewolf? Or a vampire?" asked Elena.

"He's both. A hybrid would be deadlier than any werewolf or vampire. Nature would not stand for such an imbalance of power. Therefore the witches, the servants of nature, saw to it that my brother's werewolf side would become dormant."

"That's the cruse he wants to break?"

"He wants to trigger that part of him that's a werewolf. If allowed, Klaus would sire his own bloodline. He'd build his own race. Endangering not just vampires, but everyone."

"But you helped him," remarked Charlotte.

"I helped him because I loved him. But that's changed, and now he must die."

Charlotte didn't understand, but she didn't question it.

"We have the dagger now," suggested Elena, "we can stop him."

"When a werewolf is wounded by silver, it heals. An Original can't be killed by anything but white oak ash on a silver dagger. So you see the conundrum. The dagger does not work."

"So are you saying that he can't be killed?" Charlotte asked.

"There's one way to kill any supernatural species… at the hands of the servants of nature themselves," Elijah answered.

"A witch that could channel that much power. . ." Charlotte though aloud. "It would kill them."

"The curse must be broken during the full moon. When Klaus is in transition. That's when he'll be at his most vulnerable. A witch with enough power can kill Klaus."

Elena perked up, just in the slightest. "What if I told you I knew a witch with that much power?"

"Then I'd tell you that there's one more thing you should know."

And then he told them: the witches found a way to save the doppelganger. It was true. Elena would live. Klaus would die. Things would be _okay._

"You actually can save Elena's life."

"Yes, Charlotte, I can. Unfortunately, Katerina took matters into her own hands first. I believe you already know how that played out."

"You care about her." Charlotte concluded.

"I common mistake, I'm told. One I'm sure I won't make again." He then handed Elena her coat and left the room. Elena and Charlotte followed after him.

Their arrangement concluded at the Salvatore house, where Elena walked in on the two brothers fighting, most likely over Elena.

"Stop!" Elena shouted. Elijah looked at them, and they at Elijah. Damon was astonished.

"You invited him in?"

"Elijah and I have renewed the terms of our deal," insisted Elena.

"Oh, really?" Damon masked his worry with sarcasm and anger, as usual.

"The two of you will come to no harm at my hands. I only ask for one thing in return."

"And what's that?"

"An apology." Oh, Elijah, as noble as ever.

"A what?" Damon was dumbfounded, and definitely not going to apologize.

Stefan stepped forward. "I'm sorry for the part that I played in your death. I was protecting Elena. I will always protect Elena."

"I understand." Elijah nodded.

Perfect. One brother down, another to go.

Elena looked to Damon. "The sacrifice is going to happen, Damon. Bonnie will be able to kill Klaus without hurting herself and Elijah knows how to save my life. I told you I'd find another way. And I did." Charlotte sarcastically coughed, earning a bit of a laugh from Elena. "Okay, we did."

"Is that true?"

"Yes."

"And you're trusting him?"

"I am," she answered confidently.

Damon looked at her, as if about to apologize. "You can all go to hell."

And then he left the room.

"Damnit, Damon!" Charlotte shouts. She contemplated going after him, but she needed to stay, make sure Elijah understood.

"He's angry with me right now. But he'll come around," pleaded Stefan.

"Perhaps," murmured Elijah.

Charlotte spent a few more minutes pacifying the situation before Elijah left. She then walked angrily to Damon's bedroom, out of which she saw Andie running, lingerie clad.

"Damon Salvatore, you and I need to have a chat." Lottie waltzed into the room without a care or fear.

"Not now, Charlotte." His voice was strained, full of rage, as if trying to control himself. He was afraid. He was angry.

Charlotte's demeanor softened as she shut the door behind her.

"Damon, come on." Her words were more quiet, now, less demanding. She slowly walked in and watched Damon as he sat on his bed. "I know you're upset. Let's talk this out."

"I don't want her to die, Charlotte." Damon sighed. "She wants to go and kill herself! And you're all just letting her!"

"Elijah found an actual way to save her, Damon. Really. You know I would never let her die." Charlotte told him. "I love her more than you and Stefan combined. You need to realize that you aren't calling the shots anymore."

"I'm sure as hell not letting Elijah call the shots!" He snapped.

Charlotte let out a laugh. "Hell, no, he isn't calling anything."

"Then who is? You?" He mocked her bitterly.

"No. Elena is. And do you want to know why?" She didn't give him a chance to respond. "Because it's her life. And trust be when I tell you that Elena is the wisest person that you will ever have the pleasure of knowing. Have a bit of faith in her."

She stood up.

"Just fucking apologize to Elijah, all right? It's not like you're selling your soul."

"I'm not making any agreements here."

"Sure." Charlotte smirked at him. "Oh, yeah, and Damon? What you did today. Never to it again. Never touch my sister like that. Never speak to her like that."

And then she walked out of his room, slamming the door behind her.

One good day.

That's all she wanted.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Short chapter today. But it was only so I could leave you with a massive cliff hanger. Sorry about that.**  
_

_Long story short? The sacrifice happens tonight._

Right. Context.

Right. It started in the morning. Elijah was at the Salvatore house, discussing details with what Charlotte liked to call the _CORE team._ Like in a club, the group of members that makes the plans, does the work. The CORE team consisted of Elena, Charlotte, Stefan, and Elijah. Damon was still in the dog house. He was completely against Elijah, unbelieving of his witch's elixir But Elijah had been alive for hundreds and hundreds of years; he seemed like a pretty valid source.

Anyway, Damon, displeased with Elena's chances, stormed out with a snappy comment. And as Stefan went after him, Elijah revealed to Charlotte and Elena his disclaimer.

He wasn't one hundred percent sure about Elena's saving grace.

As shocked and disappointed as Charlotte was, she had no choice to accept his chances. It was formulated by witches, after all.

And then Alaric showed up. And he sure did scare the hell out of Jenna. He swore up and down that he was Ric again, that Klaus let him go. Turned out he was telling the truth. And we was to deliver a message.

That message?

"The sacrifice happens tonight."

As discussion takes place with Alaric, who maintained zero memory, Charlotte heard a commotion upstairs. She passed a look to Elijah before following the shouting to see Elena on the floor, mouth full of blood, and Stefan having Damon pinned to the wall.

He released him, going to Elena.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Charlotte shouted amid the chaos.

"I saved her life."

It didn't take Charlotte long to deduce what happened.

"You didn't."

Damon looked at Elena. "You're so bent on dying, at least this way I know you'll come back!"

"How dare you." Charlotte muttered to herself, unbelieving what was going on as she helped Elena up.

"As a vampire! She'll come back as a vampire!" Stefan shouted at him.

"It's better than nothing else!"

"How could you of all people take that choice away from her?"

Damon looked at Elena. "Go ahead; wish me an eternity of misery. Believe me, you'll get over it."

Stefan then pinned Damon against a wall. Charlotte put her arm around Elena.

"Stefan!" Elena called.

Then, Damon takes a wooden stake and pushes it against Stefan.

"Admit it. You just wish you had the balls to do it yourself."

And then he pushed the stake through Stefan's abdomen. Elena rushed over then, before Charlotte could hold her back, and pushed Damon, screaming at him to get out. And then Alaric and Jenna arrive, seeing the scene. Eventually Damon was bullied enough to leave the room. Charlotte did what Charlotte did best. As Elena gently pulled the stake from Stefan, Charlotte grabbed it right from her, wiping the blood on her jeans and tucking the stake into her boot. She followed Damon into the library.

"Not you, Charlotte. Not now." He was furious, but not as furious as Charlotte.

"I cannot believe how selfish you are."

"I saved your sister's life!"

"Elijah very well could have, Damon!" Charlotte screamed at him, no longer holding back for him. "But you couldn't accept it! Because _you _wanted to be the one to save her. Because you couldn't accept the fact that someone centuries older than you are could do something you could not. You didn't save Elena's life-you saved her existence." Every word she let out was full of venom.

"You're full of shit if you actually think what I did was wrong. You were the one willing to do anything to save Elena."

"Not this." Charlotte whispered. "This was not your decision!" She screamed it, hysterical. "She's my _sister, _Damon. She didn't want this. She'll be different."

Damon narrowed his eyes at her. "So that's what you were afraid of." And he laughed. "You weren't upset that it wasn't Elena's choice. You don't want a sister who is a _monster _like me, do you?" As he said it, he rushed toward her, pinning her against the wall, transforming into his monstrous face. "Admit it." He hissed, tilting his head and getting closer to her. "You're afraid dear old Elena won't be good enough for pure Charlotte. You're afraid of _me. _You're afraid she'll become me. You'd be disgusted by her!"

Charlotte was able to perform he first successful maneuver, ripping the bloody stake from her boot and plunging it into Damon's stomach.

"Don't you dare speak of Elena that way." She seethed as she pushed it harder, and then ripped it out mercilessly "And I told you-you have no right to lay a hand on me. What you did was idiotic, Damon."

"Why you little-"

"Ahem." Elijah finally made his presence known, although he had been watching since Charlotte plunged the stake into him. He walked over to the wooden box and closed it. "Well, it sounds like you won't be needing this anymore. Feeding her vampire blood rendered it useless. Tell Elena I'll be back before nightfall. We'll proceed as planned."

"We both know that elixir wouldn't have worked anyway."

"The problem, Damon, you talk a good game but you don't actually know anything. She'll never forgive you. And never for a vampire... It's a very long time."

And he left.

"He's right, you know." Charlotte remarked. "What are you going to do when she finally transforms? Force her to feed? What if she'd rather die than hurt others, like she would rather do now? Are you going to force blood down her throat, like Stefan did to you?" She walked towards the door. "Food for though, you bastard."

She walked downstairs and out the door.

"I need a drink." She mumbled to herself, hoping she could find a way to manipulate one out of a Grille server.

* * *

She sat alone at a booth, drinking sprite, having been unable to coerce Matt Donovan into giving her a real drink. Her blissful solitude was ruined when Damon waltzed in, not having seen her, and went to the bar. She sat alone, thinking things over, staring blankly ahead. And then Alaric walked in, joining him. After a few minutes, Charlotte sighed and sat next to Alaric at the bar.

"Do you want to buy me a drink?" She muttered sarcastically. He laughed, shaking his head. "Your aunt would kill me."

"Come on, so much death is going to happen tonight, anyway." She said lightly. "What's one murder by Aunt Jenna going to do?"

He laughed, still refusing. She groaned.

"I'll get you that drink, Charlotte." Damon chimed in, solemnly, ordering her what she usually drank at the Salvatores. This small gesture she took as an apology. Charlotte moved places from next to Alaric to next to Damon.

"I'm pissed at you. But you're still one of my best friends." She said slowly.

"I messed up."

"I know. I informed you of that with a stake to the stomach." Charlotte replied, taking a swig of her drink, not even caring to shudder at the burning going down her throat.

"She's going to hate me."

"Yeah." Charlotte said. "She will."

"Why so glum?" An English accent, one sounding very similar to that of Elijah, chimed in beside him. There, next to Charlotte, stood a blonde man. He looked at Alaric. "Thanks for the loaner, mate."

Klaus. Charlotte's heart started racing as she unconsciously shrank closer to Damon, whom she hoped could protect her.

"Ugh. Klaus, I presume." Damon remarked. _Please, Damon, please don't push it._

"In the flesh!" He lifted his arms with a grin, placing one on Charlotte's shoulder. She jumped in fear, gripping Damon. Klaus laughed. "No need to be afraid, love, not now at least." He removed his hand. Damon coughed.

"Any reason you stopped by to say hi?" He asked.

"I'm told you and your brother fancy my doppelgänger. Just thought I'd remind you to not do anything you'll regret."

"Ha. Thanks for the advice. I don't suppose I could talk you into a postponement, by any chance, huh?"

"You are kidding." He looked at Alaric. "He is kidding, right?"

"No. Not really."

"I mean, come on, what's one month in the whole grand scheme of things?"

"Let me be clear... I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up." His voice was full of warning, creating fear only in Charlotte. When he left, Charlotte left out a sigh of relief. Damon turned to her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"You all right, kid?"

She shook her head.

"You're all right, okay? He should be gone by now. Why don't you-"

"I'm leaving."

And she left.

And she drove. And drove. And drove.

Until she realized how far she had driven. She was almost two hours out of town. It was dark out. She was going to miss it.

And in a daze she drove back to Mystic Falls, where she was sure the sacrifice was going to happen. She didn't know how she knew, but she did. In a world of vampires, werewolves, and witches, she didn't question it. She slammed her car door shut, staring at the rungs of fire in front of her. And she saw Jenna.

"Jenna!" She screamed and ran towards her, but someone stopped her. It was Stefan.

"Charlotte? Where did you come from? How did you get here?"

"Jenna. What's she doing? What's she doing in there?" She cried, face read, hysterical.

"Listen, Charlotte. You need to listen to me. Klaus is going to use her as the vampire. I tried to offer myself, but he wouldn't accept it."

Charlotte was unable to think clearly. However, that didn't mean she wasn't the genius she was born as. She swiftly formulated a plan, perhaps a stupid one, and pulled the stake from her boot, thrusting it where she knew it would do the most damage, crying out in pain. And she did it again. Stefan ripped the stake from her, feeding her his blood.

"Charlotte, were you compelled?"

She nodded as she sprinted away from him and to Klaus, throwing herself in front of him, crying hysterically.

"Please. Use me, Klaus. Please use me. Don't use Jenna. She's too good. I've done awful things. I deserve it." She cried. "I already have the blood in my system You just need to kill me and let my complete the transformation. I'll do it. Please. She means too much to too many."

Klaus looked at her, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Get up." He demanded.

She trembled as she stood up. "Charlotte! No!" Elena screamed. Jenna did the same. Klaus looked at her, spite in his eyes. "You want to die so badly? Fine. You can have your wish."

And he snapped her neck.


	7. Chapter 7

_"Oh, don't leave so soon, love. Sit down. Have a drink with me."_

Charlotte's summer of victory was coming to a close, now, with Klaus sitting across from her in her hotel room.

"Tell me exactly what happened. Why are you here?"

And so she had to tell the truth; however, she cleverly avoided saying anything about Elena. She was able to let that one slide. It turned out that as a vampire Charlotte had the incredibly skill of manipulating compulsion.

"Right." Charlotte began her tale to the man that not only killed her, but everyone she cared about. "So after you so graciously snapped my neck, I woke up in Damon's house. Sad heart to heart, and all that, and it was revealed that the little traitor Tyler Lockwood bit him. So he was going to die-"

"Charlotte," Klaus stopped her and looked into her eyes again. "Don't be so sarcastic. I want your real story."

Right.

"My aunt Jenna's funeral." She replied softly, compelled to be so vulnerable and fragile in front of her worst enemy. "And John's too, I guess. Everyone I cared about was dead. Damon was going to die. I don't handle death well. So I left, and I drove until I found a restaurant in Richmond. The waitress's name was Jenna, and it set me over the edge. The next thing I knew everybody in the restaurant was dead, all because of me. I couldn't go back to Mystic Falls. I've been travelling the country ever all, having sick, hot sex and then draining my partners every night. I secretly loathe myself for it, and that's why I continue. Because I want to be in control of my monstrosity." The words spilled out of her mouth as Klaus sat across from her, small smile playing on his lips, arms crossed. She needed to get back on vervain. She knew that much.

"I did hear about your little mental break." He stood up and walked to the door, opening it. "Thought you might want to see an old friend."

Stefan walked through the door. Charlotte, in a flash, pinned him to the wall. "What the hell are you doing with _him?_"

Stefan in turn flipped her around, hands at her throat. "Someone had to clean up the mess you left behind," he growled in response.

Klaus began clapping. "Ladies, ladies." Stefan loosened his grip. "No need to fight. To answer your question, dear Charlotte, Stefan made a deal with me. I give him a phial of my blood, the cure for a werewolf bite, and he gives me his servitude. Camaraderie. My summer has been quite busy as well, Charlotte. I've been trying to make my hybrids, but they aren't quite working."

"I apologize for not having sympathy, since you sort of killed everyone I've cared about."

Klaus ignored it. "But I finally do believe I've found the missing piece. Stefan has been holding out a slim piece of information that my dear sister Rebekah was able to uncover. Oh, right! Rebekah! How could I forget her! You really should meet her. Sister, come on in!"

It was turning into some sort of party, Charlotte thought sarcastically. She knew that this wouldn't end well.

A gorgeous blonde walked in thought the doors in heals and the kind of clothes Charlotte had been compelling for herself. Stylish, sexy, that's what Rebekah emulated.

"I'm Rebekah. Charmed, I'm sure. Nik, can we hurry this up? I'm in no mood for your dramatics."

Charlotte looked over to Stefan who was becoming nervous as well.

"Right, well, Stefan's been acting strange. Bekah has wonderful instincts. And I heard from a little bird that you were in Chicago. So I thought I visit was in order." He went over and snapped Stefan's neck. Charlotte gasped, trying to run from the room, but was caught by Rebekah. "Not so fast. It's time for you to go home, Charlotte."

And Klaus snapped her neck as well.

Stefan and Charlotte woke up in the back of a truck, Klaus standing in front of them. Charlotte remained silent while Stefan tried to make defense.

"Just give me a chance to explain myself, ok?"

"No need. I'm not mad, I'm just curious. Rebekah seems to think you're holding onto something. A piece of your old life. The thing is, she's got flawless instincts, borderline supernatural. So I thought I would check it out. See for myself what it is you've been hiding."

Klaus opened the door to the truck. They were in Mystic Falls.

"Welcome Home."

* * *

"Okay. I get it. Stefan betrayed you. He deserves this. But why the hell am I here?"

"There's power in numbers, Charlotte." Klaus pulled her by the wrist.

"If you expect to make me do anything to hurt my sister-"

"Please, I'm not a savage. That's Stefan's job." Klaus gave Charlotte that grin. You know, the one to show how little he actually cared about anyone but himself. Stefan was still in the truck with Rebekah. Apparently his time had not come yet for Klaus's plan. "Trust me, darling. I'm only doing you a favor. Tonight is your senior prank night, and I am sure that that is not a festivity you'd like to miss." Klaus looked into her eyes. "When we enter this school, you will not leave my side. You will obey every order I give you."

Another open ended compulsion tactic, Charlotte sighed. At this point, she was no longer afraid. Simply exhausted.

"Now come along. We have eggs to throw, toilets to clog. . ."

Charlotte followed Klaus to the double doors, where she could hear Elena. As she saw Elena about to open the doors, she let out a warning scream. But it was of no matter. Soon Elena was face to face with both Klaus and the older sister that had abandoned her.

"There's my girl." Klaus grinned menacingly at her.

"Klaus!" and then she looked to her sister, "Charlotte!"

"You're supposed to be dead. What are we going to do about that?"

Klaus grabbed her ferociously by the arm and started pulling her. Charlotte tried to protest, becoming incredibly defensive, but Klaus told her not to say another word. So she couldn't.

"You put a rather large kink in my plans, sweetheart. The whole point of breaking the curse and becoming a hybrid was to make more hybrids. I haven't been able to do that. Now my bet is, it has something to do with the fact that you're still breathing."

"If you're going to kill me, just do it!"

"Not until I know I'm right. But I do have ways of making you suffer."

Charlotte wished so much she could speak, but she couldn't.

They entered the gym where they found a few seniors that Charlotte recognized. They sparked Charlotte's memory of the world she left behind. She missed Collin's graduation, her own sister's birthday, and Mara's as well. Mara was a senior. Was she here?

Probably not. Mara literally loathes ninety percent of their class. For that Charlotte was thankful.

Klaus began speaking in an American accent. "Attention seniors! Prank night is over. You have officially been busted."

And then he spotted Dana. He walked over to her and began to speak in his normal voice. "I remember you."

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't worry. I wasn't in my right mind when we met last." And then he compelled her to lift her foot. He then compelled Chad. "When she drops her foot, I want you to beat her to death."

"Don't, Klaus. You don't have to hurt anybody." Elena insisted. She still had barely mentioned Charlotte. She felt betrayed, Lottie could tell.

"Oh, come on, love. Of course I do." Klaus then looked over to Charlotte. "I'm growing quite bored of you being here." He rushed over to Charlotte, whispering something to her. "Wait outside until you get a phone call from me."

And so she did. About an hour later, completely helpless, she received a phone call from Klaus. "I solved the mystery, Charlotte! It turns out I need your sister's blood! I want you to go to the hospital. Compel everyone you see."

And Charlotte didn't have a choice.

She decided that this had to be God's way of punishing her, of telling her that everything she had done was wrong. She went to the hospital compelling those she saw. She watched helplessly as Elena's blood was drawn.

Her solace came when she heard a voice of saving grace stepping through the halls. Damon Salvatore.

"Damon!" She shouted. "Damon!"

Damon rushed over to her in a second, pinning her against a wall. "What are you _doing?"_

"Klaus compelled me. He's taking Elena's blood. She's in room 123. Go save her. Now."

And so he did.

The night ended with an update from Klaus. Tyler was now his first hybrid. He forces Stefan to turn it all off. Stefan was now under Klaus's command. He was tasked with protecting Elena.

And he released Charlotte from following his every order. So she took a page from Isobel's book and found the nicest foreclosure in town. She called her hotel in Chicago, talked to the woman she had compelled to become her personal maid, and had her things sent over night.

A war was starting, and Charlotte needed to prepare for battle.

* * *

School was sort of the last thing Charlotte wanted to do.

Yes, she had to leave her glamorous life behind and reenter her pitiful, mundane one. All the parties, the glamor, all of it was gone now. Replaced by calculus and literature.

She had picked up a copy of her schedule from the office, looking over the classes she had registered for before everything changed. For a moment it felt good, the nostalgia. But that faded.

"Charlotte! Where in the hell have you been?" She felt someone leap onto her back. As the petite figure got down, Charlotte whipped around to see the blonde she used to call her best friend.

"You know, living the dream." Charlotte kept her answers as vague as possible.

"Yeah, that's what I've heard! Elena told me you were studying in France and couldn't keep your cell phone. ALthough, it wouldn't have hurt to give me a call every now and then." Charlotte glared at her, sick of the back and forth. When Mara gave her a peculiar look, Charlotte smiled, looking at the ring that Mara had worn since they were kids.

"Can I see your ring? I've never actually gotten a good look at it."

Mara gave her an odd look and slipped it off, giving it to Lottie. Mara then rolled her eyes and looked into Mara's.

"Leave me alone. Things have changed. They're different now. I'm different now. Over the summer we've slowly drifted apart, and while we're stil cordial, we're nothing like we were before. And we never will be." Charlotte's heart broke as she gave Mara back her ring. She walked away without another word to her history class with none other than Alaric Saltzman, the man responsible, in a roundabout way, for her Aunt's death.

Strutting into the room, she tucked away in the back of the room next to some football player she'd probably have sex with later. She winked at him. He winked back. She knew the look.

Alaric was sitting at his desk, eyeing her with suspicion. It seemed she hadn't gained anybody's trust back yet. She was Stefan Salvatore now. The only difference? She had a shred dignity left over. And she held on to her emotions. And she wasn't following Klaus's every beck and call.

Alaric left the room. Class had yet to begin completely. Even as a vampire, Charlotte made sure to arrive on time. This seemed like the proper time to get an idea of the battleground.

Stalking the halls, she cam across a commotion. Stefan held a tight grip on Elena Gilbert. Alaric was there as well, trying to diffuse the situation, yet not doing a very good job. When Charlotte finally approached them, Stefan and Ric pinned to the lockers.

"Threatening a teacher can be punished with expulsion, Stefan." Charlotte's voice, shrouded with sarcasm, held a deep malice. "In other words, lay off." She growled at him. He only smiled back.

"I'm just finishing off." He told her as he pressed harder against Alaric. "You're not gonna want to get in my way. Okay Ric? I will see you both in history."

"Not so fast." Charlotte grabbed him, digging her nails into his skin. "Threaten Elena again, slave of Klaus or not, and I will rip your heart out and feed it to the wolves on the full moon, got it?" She threw him against the wall, gave her hair a flip, and walked back to history class. Stefan was going to be an issue.

Alaric started the class and then Rebekah waltzed in five minutes after it started, preaching about the vikings.

School droned on without interest, Charlotte keeping surveillance on Elena, Jeremy, and Stefan. Jeremy was talking to himself consistently. Elena was terrified, on edge. Stefan was a pain in the ass.

And Charlotte couldn't do a thing about it. She was too far down the rabbit hole.

After school she did what she tended to do nowadays: shop. She had a bonfire to go to tonight! She couldn't go looking like some savage! Her retail therapy went as planned until she received a phone call she didn't expect to.

Elena.

"He-hello? Elena? Is everything all right?"

"Charlotte. I need to talk to you."

"Are you all right?" She repeated.

"Yeah. I'm fine. There's just something I think you'd like to help with."

Elena sent her an address and Charlotte drove there, half thinking it would be a trap. But Elena wouldn't do that. Elena was too good to do that.

Damon was there as well.

"Is this some sort of trap? Because I've had such a long day. . ."

"Not a trap. Not yet, Blondie." Damon replied. He was standing protectively next to Elena, who was wearing work out clothes and sitting at a bench press.

"So what's the plan?"

"We're going to lock Stefan up." Elena replied.

"I like this plan all ready. I'm in." Charlotte agreed. "Let me guess. Bonfire?"

"You got it, Gilbert."

It felt good being called GIlbert again.

"Klaus's father. Mikael. He's the only one that can kill them."

"Say no more. What do you need me to do?"

* * *

The team meeting was held in Alaric's classroom. The committee was full of guests, such as Alaric, Damon, Elena, and Caroline.

"I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire. Then when he's distracted. . ."

"I'll shoot him." Alaric finished.

Charlotte didn't exactly like the risk. And apparently neither did Damon.

"Can't Bonnie just ju-ju him or something?" he suggested.

"I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of this. I don't trust that Stefan won't hurt her. Caroline, are you covered?" Elena answered.

"Yes! I will make sure the Forbes cellar is all prepped and ready."

"There's a Forbes cellar now, too?" Charlotte asked quietly. Caroline frowned, but ignore the question.

"We're forgetting a key player here. Rebekah? Wherever Stefan goes, the blond ponytail tends to follow." Damon made clear what everyone had been forgetting. Well, everyone but Elena.

"Which is why it's your job to keep her away."

"How?! She's an original. Last time I checked, we're out of daggers," Damon protested.

"So preoccupy her with your charm."

Charlotte laughed.

"It might be easier to find a dagger." Alaric chuckled.

"Are you ever not gonna be mad at me?" Damon asked.

"Not for a moment." He replied.

It was nice seeing them bantering.

And then Tyler walked in. Charlotte loathed him. She stood up to challenge him, but Caroline put her arm on hers, keeping her down.

"Sorry I'm late. What's going on?"

"We need you to raid your mom's vervain supply. Enough to keep Stefan down for a while."

"We can't do that to Stefan," Tyler protested.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Charlotte protested.

"Trust me, Tyler. It's in his best interest." Elena reasoned.

"Yeah, but not in Klaus's."

That pushed Charlotte over the edge. Charlotte rushed towards him, pushing him against the wall.

"Listen here, you mutt-"

But she was cut off as he threw her to the ground, standing over her. "Charlotte, I get it. You're a vampire now, you think you're hot shit. I know the feeling." He got closer to her, putting his foot on her chest. "But I'm a hybrid now. I'm a thousand times more powerful than you'll ever be."

Charlotte spun him around, reflexes quick. Suddenly she pinned him to the ground. "Klaus is a horrible, horrible guy." Charlotte growled at him. "You're an idiot if you can't see it."

And she was up against the wall. "You're pushing your luck, Gilbert."

Caroline protested. "Tyler. You know, why are you acting like some freaky, hybrid, slave minion?"

Tyler pushed harder against Charlotte, his teeth bared. If he were to bite her, she would die. He's still a werewolf. He shouted back at Caroline. "Klaus made me who I am, Caroline! I owe him everything!" And then he looked back at Charlotte. "And I think I owe him the extermination of one last pest."

In a second Damon had stabbed Tyler Lockwood with a vervain syringe. "He's sired to Klaus."

"What?" Charlotte asked.

"Sire. He feels grateful to Klaus, so now he's following is every beck and command."

"How do I fix him?" Caroline asked.

"Get a new boyfriend." He spat.

Charlotte sighed, stepping over Tyler's body.

"It looks like Tyler's useless. Looks like I just got my job. Is everything in my room still normal, Elena?"

"We haven't touched anything."

Charlotte nodded. "That may or may not be good. In my closet, you know the secret compartment like the ones Mom and Dad kept everywhere, I had a vervain plant. It might still be alive. Probably not if it hadn't been watered. But I had a nice stash."

"You haven't been invited in." Elena responded.

Right.

"Okay. That leaves us with a few options. Either I tell you the location or someone invites me in. I understand you might not feel comfortable with it, and you have a right to, but I don't think you'll have time to grab it. I can be there and back in a second. Is-is Jeremy home?"

Elena nodded. "He should be for another hour."

Damon made the final decision. "Let's go, Charlotte."

Damon and Charlotte sped over to the house, separately. Damon was only attending, Charlotte knew, to keep an eye on her. Jeremy opened the door.

"Lottie." He breathed in disbelief.

"Not now, kid. Invite her in so that we can get along with it."

"You can come in." He said without hesitation. Charlotte nodded at him and rushed up the stairs to her old bedroom. Walking in was like entering a ghost town. Everything was the same, yet she was so different. When she entered her closet, she moved her stash of shoes and opened the compartment underneath pulling out a paper bag filled with smalled bags of vervain. Like she expected, her plant was dead, dried out, but it would still be functional. She grabbed them both and walked downstairs. "Here." She tossed them to Damon and walked out of the house, terrified of what would happen if she remained. She got into her car and screamed. Her screams turned into tears as she punched the steering wheel. She was breaking. She couldn't break. Not again. Not at the night of the bonfire. Not tonight.

Within a moment, Damon was sitting in the passenger seat next to her.

"So I'm pretty sure the Rebekah is vaguely lesbian." Damon remarked quietly, causing Charlotte to laugh in the middle of her tears. "So, if you wanted to help charm her, I'm pretty sure it would work. It would be a pretty hot three way, I must say."

"You're disgusting."

"Not as disgusting as you are." He replied. "Look at your make up now. Hasn't Elena ever taught you not to cry in make up? Hopefully Rebekah is into the whole sad thing."

"Damon. What do you want?"

"I want you to know that it's okay." He said softly. Charlotte looked up at him, wiping her eyes. "Whatever you've done, it's okay. Because we all do it. We all break. It's an occupational hazard."

"Elena hates me."

Damon looked puzzled. "You can't actually believe that." He laughed. "Elena doesn't hate anybody. She accepted me, beyond better judgement. She's even giving Stefan a chance. She loves you, kid. She's just sad; she missed you. And she's giving you your space, because you've been shutting her out since you go here."

Charlotte shook her head. "I've killed so many people, Damon."

"Do you really think that your petty number lives up to the Ripper of Monterrey, or even me? Your murder game is weak, Lottie. Trust me when I tell you tha

* * *

t when you're ready, you'll be welcomes back with open arms. Stop loathing yourself."

Charlotte had trouble believing him.

"And do me a favor. No matter how guilty you feel, never, ever turn off your switch."

* * *

Right, so, the night started off with Damon's attempts to charm Rebekah. Seeing as Damon was EXACTLY the most charming person, Charlotte had to play him up, as he'd expected. Charlotte, as Damon attempted to teach Rebekah to eat a freaking marshmallow, strutted over, passing them beth bottles of beer.

"Who needs marshmallows when you have this?"

She tipped her head back and took a swig of the bitter liquid.

"I don't know, Charlotte. I think you're missing out on some of the finer things in life." He grinned as he looked at Rebekah. Oh boy.

Charlotte carefully watched Elena, only partially listening to their conversation, but inserting either the snappy comment or the profound remark about society when needed.

And then things went south when she caught on. She was smarter than everyone gave her credit for. She snapped at Damon and shoved a wooden stick into him.

"Well that's what you get for playing with a girl's heart." Charlotte smirked.

* * *

"Hey, Damon, you said you had something of mine that-" Charlotte walked in the room not to see Damon, but Elena. "Oh, hey."

She still felt awkward around Elena.

"You're hurt. What happened? Was that the fire? God, I should have been there-"

"Charlotte, it's fine. Really." Elena told her. "Actually, Damon didn't text you at all. I did."

"What, why?"

"Because he told me what you said." She said softly. "I hate the way it is between us now. You're my sister, and you're walking on egg shells as if we're sworn enemies. I'm not upset with you, okay? I understand. It's hard when you turn. I know-I know you did it for Aunt Jenna. And I know what you did to those people-"

"Please stop, Elena." Lottie whispered softly, hurt by every word.

"I was hurt that you didn't think you could come back, that you left us when we needed you most, but I understand."

"I'm so sorry, Elena." Charlotte all but whispered, holding back any emotion destined to come out. "I couldn't come back. It would have been so different. I didn't want you to see your sister as a monster."

Elena shook her head, and stepped towards Charlotte.

"Please, stop. I could hurt you. Like I did them," she protested, near hysterics.

"No. You couldn't." Elena shook her head. "You'd never hurt me. I know that. I've seen the way you protect me, Jer. Lottie, I've accepted Damon and Stefan, and I will forever accept you. You'll always be my sister."

And then Charlotte erupted into tears. Elena wrapped her arms around her.

"Please come home, Lottie."


End file.
